27 Jun 2018

eSwatini’s King Mswati III arrived in Gaborone on June 26 ahead of the sixth Southern African Customs Union (SACU) summit slated for June 29 to honour President Mokgweetsi Masisi’s invitation to visit the Okavango.

Environment, Natural Resources Conservation and Tourism, Minister Tshekedi Khama confirmed in an interview that that the invitation was extended to King Mswati III during the president’s recent visit to eSwatini.

“While we were in eSwatini with President Masisi we spoke about wide range of issues that include wildlife and mining, so it became apparent that the king has never toured the Okavango although he has been to Chobe,” he said.

He said they had wished that the king could spend the night to enjoy the ambience of the Okavango, but it was impossible because around this time most tourist destinations were packed with tourists.

Mr Khama said Botswana and eSwatini wished to explore collaboration in tourism to promote the two countries in the region and abroad.

He said eSwatini was popularly known for bush fire and the reed dance which had become calendar events while Botswana offered high value low impact tourism products which the two countries could help each other to promote.

Mr Khama further said the two eSwatini events had been modernised and attracted a lot of people, something Botswana could emulate.

On the other hand, the Swazis would want to benchmark on the high value-low impact tourism offered by Botswana, he said.

“Sometimes great things happen on our doorsteps, and we are not aware of those, so this is a great opportunity for us to promote the amazing Swazi bush fire while this may also be an opportunity for the Swazis to promote our Okavango and other ecosystems that Botswana has as well as other best tourism destinations,” said Mr Khama.

Mr Khama said there were places in Botswana that were so unique they could attract a high number of tourists.

Meanwhile, Mr Khama has expressed regret over the mishaps that continued to mar big events such as the recent desert race adding that more should be done to curb loss of lives.

“We need to revisit the way in which we hold big functions and seriously close the gaps in aspects of safety if we want to attract many people to pay visits to our country,” he said. ENDS