03 Sep 2021

Tourists visiting Botswana will now have the opportunity to view their intended destinations beforehand, courtesy of Botswana Tourism Organisation (BTO) live virtual tour project.

Launched by President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi in Gaborone yesterday, the project will profile, market and promote the country's various destinations virtually under the theme, Botswana Live.

It takes tourists to various destinations including Goo-Moremi, Central Kalahari Game Reserve, Makgadikgadi, Chobe, Okavango, Kgalagadi, Gaborone and its surroundings as well as giving insights into diverse cultures found in Botswana.

In the live virtual tour, President Masisi urges tourists to select Botswana as their preferred destination. 

Dr Masisi said the project was aligned to the country's transformation and reset agenda which emphasised digitisation as well as information and communication technologies as drivers of economic development and diversification.

He appealed to the public and private sector as well as individuals to join hands on similar projects.

 “We need to adopt robust and effective business models and put to use advanced forms of technology-backed solutions and tools that will help the citizenry and the world to conduct business related activities anytime and from anywhere across the globe,” he said.

President Masisi said tourism as among industries earmarked for economic diversification due to the negative impact of COVID-19.

“The global and national restrictions which have been imposed to mitigate the spread and transmission of the virus have had a bearing on travel and tourism because the industry, in the case of Botswana, is heavily dependent on the international market,” said President Masisi.

He said the state of affairs had challenged communities, policy and decision makers to rethink their business models for the industry to ensure sustainability.

With the project launch, government had demonstrated eagerness to get tourism back on track as soon as practicably possible, said the President.

The virtual tour commences with Goo-Moremi Gorge, one of the country's popular tourism spots revered for its cultural and spiritual beliefs which also boasts an array of tourism treasures from sand stones to wild animals, bird species including the protected Cape vulture, vegetation, waterfalls and footprints. 

The area is considered sacred with whistling prohibited as it is associated with invocation of the ancestors, a reserve of the Komana, who are a group of elderly males serving as intermediaries between the community and the ancestors. Water from the falls is believed to have spiritual powers.

Botswana Live can be viewed on www.botswanalive.co.bw, on Facebook, YouTube and other online platforms.

First Lady Neo Masisi and Minister of Environment, Natural Resources Conservation and Tourism, Ms Philda Kereng graced the event.ends