13 Mar 2019

Citizen empowerment will become a priority for Botswana’s tourism strategy going forth.

The move will ensure full citizen participation at the very top of the tourism chain.

These remarks were made by the Minister of Environment, Natural Resources, Conservation and Tourism, Mr Kitso Mokaila at a welcome breakfast organised by Cresta Marakanelo on March 12. 

Reiterating a message that has been at the core of President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi’s tourism agenda, Mr Mokaila stated that Batswana had compromised a third of their land as well as their livelihoods with regards to sustainable agriculture, highlighting that there must therefore be something that compensates them for being such good ‘shepherds’. 

“We have compromised so much, hence Botswana cannot meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of ending poverty if our people cannot have normal sustainable livelihoods and continue to suffer due to human-wildlife conflicts,” he stated. 

In mitigating this, pristine areas in the Okavango Delta such as Chief’s Island will be availed for Batswana to compete for. 

“Our team is currently putting together a document that will be presented to Cabinet as a matter of urgency, and I can assure you that before October elections we would have secured quite a number of concessions for locals,” he announced.

Moreover, Botswana will carry out a re-branding exercise of its tourism and conservation messaging to shift the overall message from flora and fauna to a more holistic people-centered approach, he said. 

“Part of why we are under attack is that we have always sold Botswana as flora and fauna, rather than having people at the centre of our messages, therefore we will have to very strongly re-brand ourselves as a country to ensure that we do not give the impression that we do not have people who form part of our tourism offering,” Mr Mokaila said. 

Botswana’s tourism policy is also being reviewed as well as the BTO strategy to ensure that the tourism sector is inclusive and positions Batswana as a priority, the minister added.

He urged the Hospitality and Tourism Association of Botswana (HATAB) to be on board with government’s efforts in setting the tourism tone right, reassuring the industry that his office will be open for dialogue and engagement for a continued partnership. 

Mr Mokaila also used the opportunity to set the record straight pertaining to BTO’s mandate. 

“I wish to point out that BTO is here to facilitate the tourism industry and not compete with it.

There has definitely been confusion in the past pertaining to its role, resulting in BTO hosting events that competed with the private sector. 

However, I can assure you that this will never happen again,” he stated.

Subsequently, he said, BTO activities that had been in competition with those of the private sector will be removed.     

Moreover, Botswana’s participation at all international fairs will be reviewed to ensure that Batswana are capacitated on marketing themselves globally and facilitated to participate in these global expos, he said. 

“BTO’s role is not to sponsor those who can afford, but to provide assistance to uplift Batswana operators,” he noted. 

HATAB Chief Executive Officer, Ms Lily Rakorong reiterated that there was need for meaningful citizen participation in the sector by way of looking at policies and legislative instruments such as citizen empowerment policy, which are not supported by binding acts. 

As debates around Botswana conservation and wildlife policies play out on the global front, researchers from the University of Botswana have highlighted revenue leakages estimated to be over 70 per cent in Botswana’s tourism, further drowning any hopes for direct citizen benefit from the sector. 

This has been attributed to bookings made through companies that are headquartered outside Botswana, making it impossible for Botswana Unified Revenue Services to tax them. 

Cresta Marakanelo had organised the breakfast meeting as a way of appreciating Minister Mokaila’s contribution to the tourism sector. 

“We appreciate your open door policy, which has served us well in the hospitality industry as well as your continued commitment to engagement and consultation, through the introduction of dipitso,” Cresta Marakanelo managing director Mr Mokwena Morulane said. 

Mr Mokaila was also hailed for enhancing relations between government and the tourism industry. ENDS