25 Jul 2018

Tourism in Botswana was flourishing

This is evidenced by the over two million tourists who visited the country in the past two years. 

Addressing a kgotla meeting at Malatswai on July 24, Minister of Environment, Natural Resources Conservation and Tourism, Mr Tshekedi Khama said the sudden upsurge in the number of tourists in the country spurred creation of direct and indirect jobs for locals, which had the effect of trickling to other sectors related to tourism. 

Mr Khama also informed his constituents that World Tourism Organisation found that tourism provided for 18 000 direct jobs. 

He also said that about 150 000 Batswana benefited directly or indirectly from tourism related jobs such as at restaurants. 

The minister said that his ministry was committed to creating jobs as it was the priority of the past and present presidents. 

He said that as a former teacher, President Mokgweetsi Masisi was concerned about educating students who then roam the streets unemployed. 

In coining the importance of tourism to Gross Domestic Product as requested by some of his electorate, Mr Khama said that tourism contributed immensely to the country’s purse. 

In 2016/17, Mr Khama said that tourism contributed about P10.5 billion, which he found to be significant towards the economy. 

The minister said that as part of attracting tourism revenue, the vision of the ministry he leads was to ensure that tourists visited all parts of the country to consume culture, food and marvel at properly conserved wild animals. 

He was of the view that tourists revered Botswana only for wild animals and opined that there were many aspects of culture, food and traditions that could be sold to tourists by way of oral traditions and other means. 

The minister informed his electorate that plans were under way for consultation of Batswana on game farming and or ranching which would see Batswana allowed to rear wild animals in ranches. 

The move, he said would help spur and spread tourism all over the country without necessarily limiting it to wild animals concentration areas of Chobe and Ghanzi. 

Consequently, Mr Khama challenged the community of Malatswai to decide whether, upon completion of fencing their community farm, they would rear cattle or wild animals. 

He enumerated advantages of game farming to them, but reminded them of the donors who had promised them cattle to stock their farm. 

He said that the farm would create employment for some of the residents of the village who were already benefiting by way of labour provision during fencing. ENDS