16 Feb 2020

 The agro-tourism sector has potential in sustainable economic growth and job creation especially for the rural communities.

One of the broad principles of sustainable tourism growth as a component of bigger justifiable development agenda was the need for Batswana to derive economic benefits from tourism through sustainable and responsible use of tourism resources.

An official from the Serowe-based department of tourism, Ms Keletso Ramaribana, said this during Serowe Sub-land Board stakeholder workshop on Thursday.

Ms Ramaribana noted that agro-tourism or agricultural tourism referred to the act of visiting a working farm or any agricultural, horticultural and agribusiness operation for leisure, education or active involvement in the activities of the farm and just staying in rural areas and visiting attractions in those areas.

She said scales of farming enterprises and community events that showcased the agricultural heritage of farming regions to the traveller often attracted tourists.

Ms Ramaribana indicated that agro-tourism might include taking part in growing, harvesting and processing locally grown food crops.

She said in many cases, farmers provided a homestay opportunity and education on farm life, adding that agro-tourism activity, might also include farm tours, farm stay with bed and breakfast, cart rides, donkey riding, horse riding, milking, ostrich riding, peacock viewing and other farming activities in the area.

Furthermore, she said tourism-related accommodation could be in the form of bed and breakfast, guesthouse, nature lodge, hotel, self-catering apartments, campsites and cultural village. ENDS