03 Aug 2017

Botswana is one of the leading tourism destinations in the world, says United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) secretary general, Dr Talib Rifai.

Speaking at a public lecture in Gaborone recently, Dr Rifai urged  Batswana to promote the contributions of travel and tourism as a grand 21st century human activity.

Dr Rifai said it was time to shape a better future for Batswana through tourism, adding that it contributed to the global sustainable development agenda pillars of economic, social, environmental and cultural development as well as peace.

Dr Rifai noted that the World Economic Forum recently named Botswana as the fourth most competitive country in Southern Africa for higher education and training. He also noted that the National Development Plan 11 focused on tourism and trading, adding that tourism could make a significant contribution to Botswana’s future.

Dr Rifai advised that Botswana should ensure that local communities benefited directly from the growth of tourism, and that the benefits stayed in the country for the future generations.

He urged Batswana to continue respecting and promoting their natural resource as well as building human resources.

Dr Rifai said Batswana should not only preserve their natural and cultural assets, but also the way they lived, how they lived as well as who they were. He added that preservation was intended to elevate the quality of life through progress and higher living standards for people.

Dr Rifai also said tourism was one of the best placed industries to give people access to a wide range of jobs. He added that one direct job in tourism created 1.4 extra jobs down the value stream.

Furthermore, he maintained that tourism jobs were excellent first entries to the labour market for women and youth.

Nevertheless, Dr Rifai pointed out that there was need to address the distorted image of jobs in tourism as well as the unbalanced gender structure of the tourism work force. He added that the shortage in skills and the gap between tourism education and market needs also needed to be addressed.

Dr Rifai also stated that tourism and travel was all about people. He noted that millions of people travelled all over the world  despite the challenges of security, economic hardships, health pandemics as well as natural disasters.

“People are defying all the odds and travelling the world,” said Dr Rifai, adding that travel has become a way of life.
He also said travelling could present opportunities for inclusive economic growth, opportunities for more and decent jobs, opportunities to protect natural and cultural heritages and opportunities to better know and respect each other. He also said it brought opportunities to bond to people as well as opportunities to distribute wealth and share prosperity.

Dr Rifai said in Botswana over 1.5 million international tourists generated benefits for the people.

He noted that travel and tourism were the third largest export industry in the world after chemicals and fuel.

He further pointed out that by 2030 UNWTO forecasted that 1.8 billion international travellers would be crossing borders in a single year.

He noted that in 2016, they registered a 3.9 per cent growth in international tourism arrivals and 7.8 per cent in Africa.

He added that already in the first half of 2017, they were experiencing another six per cent growth globally, and eight per cent in Africa.

On other issues, Dr Rifai said the UNCA accomplished three important milestone being the 17 SDG, a road map to 2030, the Paris agreement agreed, and that 2017 was designated as “the international year of sustainable tourism for development,” adding that it depicted 2017 as a special year for the travel and tourism industry.

Dr Rifai was visiting Botswana to commemorate the world’s recognition of Botswana as a leader in sustainable tourism development.

His visit was also intended to create the necessary springboard for opportunities available within the UNWTO to support Botswana’s efforts on tourism development. ENDS