24 Aug 2020

 Local tourism industry representative, Hospitality and Tourism Association of Botswana (HATAB) has approached government to come up with interventions for the industry. 

 When responding to BOPA, HATAB CEO, Ms Lily Rakorong said the tourism industry had been severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. “We started experiencing booking cancellations from international clients as early as January when COVID-19 started in China. The industry has been bleeding ever since,” she said. 

As such, she said HATAB had submitted hospitality and tourism industry specific recommendation to government in response to COVID-19. One of the recommendations calls for a wage cost relief in order of a 50 per cent wage costs of every worker who remains on the job. 

 HATAB has also requested for an emergency credit in the  form of low interest long term loans. The industry also seeks government support for a 90-day moratorium on loan repayments and debt restructuring for firms and workers in the hospitality and tourism industry. 

Ms Rakorong further said HATAB believed that it would be in the best interest of the industry for government to consider a tax relief suspension for the industry for six months. 

She said government should also consider an accelerated payment of outstanding invoices for services to government and state-owned enterprises as well as revalidation of visas on future dates. 

Another intervention the industry sought from the government was preparation to allow international tourists into Botswana and continued government financial support as an interim measure for at least nine months. 

She highlighted that the department of tourism had estimated that based on the decrease in tourist arrivals during the period March, April and May 2020, due to closure of entry points, the industry had lost significant amount of money. 

“It is estimated that Botswana so far lost about P1.5 Billion in international tourism receipts for this period,” she said. She said the tourism sector played an important role in Botswana’s economy, and COVID-19 outbreak would affect the sector’s contribution to the economy. 

She therefore said should government not come up with interventions for the sector, it was anticipated that there would be more job losses and a severe impact on the economy. ends