13 Feb 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic caused closure of 22 accommodation facilities and cancellation of 1 817 accommodation bookings. The Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry, Mr Mmusi Kgafela, told Parliament on Wednesday that due to the negative impact of COVID-19 on tourism sector, seven safari operators and tourism agents had to suspend their businesses.

Minister Kgafela said agriculture sector was affected but not at a high scale like tourism. He said some farmers failed to service their loans and could not access industry support facility offered by Local Enterprises Authority (LEA). Mr Kgafela said the State of Emergency regulations made it illegal for businesses to reduce their employees.

He said LEA had continued to offer assistance to affected businesses through mentoring and also helped to seek market for their products. Minister Kgafela was answering a question from Kanye North legislator, Mr Thapelo Letsholo who had asked the trade minister to appraise Parliament on the hardships faced by small, micro and medium sized citizen owned businesses in Botswana as a result of negative impact of COVID-19. ENDS