01 Oct 2020

Director of Double Tracks Africa, Mr Vincent Kokomane, says  COVID-19 pandemic has put the tourism sector on its knees, thus compelling the industry  to re-strategise.

Speaking in an interview during a campaign dubbed Destination Botswana with Nigel Amos on Tuesday, Mr Kokomane said one way of re-strategising was to shift focus to domestic tourism.

Mr Kokomane said it was against the backdrop of promoting domestic tourism that Double Tracks Africa endorsed 800m athlete, Amos to promote some tourism facilities through instagram and Facebook.

He said the campaign was aimed at re-introducing destination Botswana to its residents as well as international clientele.

Mr Kokomane urged the public to come onboard and book at the participating facilities in order to grasp an opportunity to stay and dine with Amos. He said while in Chobe for the campaign, they partnered with Kasane Spar to donate food hampers to the guides.

He said the guides had been working in the park and  adversely affected by COVID-19.

Kasane Spar manager, Mr Emiele Bouwer, said they approved the donation since the guides were supporting their business prior to COVID-19 and with the pandemic Spar found it necessary to give back to them.

For his part, Amos who earlier conducted a fitness session with the guides thanked them for making the park clean for the tourists, adding that the food hampers would uplift their spirits  and served as independence lunch.

Chairperson of Voice for Guides, Mr Morapedi Haskins, said the gesture was an indication that companies still realised their relevance even at a time when the tourism sector was not doing well.

He said guides would continue taking care of the park voluntarily and called on those who could help them to come forward.

Voice for Guides secretary general, Ms Wapula Pule-Matshambane who was an aviation hospitality and tourism/safari specialist said she was committed to bringing her expertise in the tourism industry to revive it.

Ms Pule-Matshambane said she was looking forward to reviving tourism in the KAZA region through her campaign: Pusha Domestic Tourism.

Botswana Tourism Organisation (BTO) manager, Mr Keotshepile Mphusu, said the decision by Double Tracks Africa was a welcome development.

He said last month, there was an improvement in Chobe in terms of tourism activities.

Mr Mphusu noted that the increase in tourism activity and traffic in Chobe and across Botswana came due to efforts such of Double Tracks and others.

He said campaigns that were aimed towards promoting local tourism showed passion and commitment from other stakeholders since government alone did not have enough resources to carry out such campaigns.

Mr Mphusu said they were open for  more campaigns such as those of Double Tracks Africa and BTO to give guidance where necessary.

He said the day’s campaign motivated guides and showed that they were not forgotten and were still part of the industry.

He said there was need for the guides to continuously remain active despite less activity and for activities to continue taking place even when borders were closed. ENDS