16 May 2022

The determination of the tourism sector to rebuild after the collapse occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic is a cause of celebration and will bring improvements in the industry.

Giving the keynote address at the Hospitality and Tourism Association of Botswana (HATAB) annual conference in Kasane on Friday, the Minister of Environment and Tourism, Ms Phildah Kereng also commended the tourism sector for working together with government in a sustained partnership to build the sector for four decades.

The conference was held under the theme: Rebuilding tourism for the future - post COVID-19. Minister Kereng said the sector had over the years demonstrated that it could drive the economy.

She said while what was built collapsed due to COVID-19, the rebuilding of the sector  would also bring about improvements in the industry.

“You can only rebuild when you are capable and when you have gathered yourself together for the process as what you rebuild should be better than what was built before,” she said.

Ms Kereng said she was hopeful that the lessons learnt from the COVID-19 pandemic would help the industry to come back with resilience. She also commended the industry for the resistance and resoluteness to remain afloat during COVID-19.

She noted that the tourism sector led all the other sectors in developing COVID-19 operating procedures and that other industries benchmarked from them.

Ms Kereng said the contribution of the tourism sector during the trying COVID-19 restrictions led the country to become the destination of choice.

She advised the sector that in rebuilding for the future they should move from wildlife and associated resources to other destinations around the country incorporating culture, sports, arts, agriculture and other activities.

HATAB chairperson, Mr Joe Motse commended tourism industry partners for working hard to take the sector to where it was before COVID-19.

He also thanked government for partnering with them in drafting COVID-19 protocols and implementing them, saying they ensured the sector’s survival.

Mr Motse noted that the industry lost a lot of business during COVID-19 lockdowns and restrictions, but was happy that the sector was rebounding.

He encouraged all enterprises and businesses in the tourism industry to diversify their product.
In his welcome remarks, Kgosi Tshegofatso Samoka of Plateau thanked the conference organisers for choosing Kasane and contributing to the revival of the local economy.

He said they had a national park, the river and Sedudu Island that could be further utilised for tourism growth. ENDS