28 Sep 2022

Hospitality and Tourism Studies learners have been advised to utilise technology to conduct research online.

Women in Tourism Botswana president, Ms Bokani Mathape made the call at an empowerment session with Maun Senior Secondary School Form Five Hospitality and Tourism Studies students, which was also held to commemorate World Tourism Day in Maun recently.

Ms Mathape said young people mostly misused technology, especially social media platforms, but advised them to desist from any form of profanity online, as it might ruin their future prospects.

She said this year’s theme: Rethinking Tourism’ was fitting as the world was recovering and transitioning from the COVID-19 pandemic.

She noted that it was important for young people to understand that tourism was a diverse phenomenon that incorporated culture, food, song and dance, agriculture and wildlife; among others.

Ms Mathape said empowering young people was key, which was why Women in Tourism decided to celebrate the day with learners from Maun senior school.

She stated that even though Batswana women were visible in tourism, they were occupying lower levels of the employment ladder, adding that her NGO therefore empowered women to become managers in their respective organisations.

This she said was done through offering mentorship programmes to empower women to compete with their male counterparts.

Motivating the students, Botswana Quality Baskets founder, Ms Thitaku Kushonya revealed that basketry was a lucrative business that one could survive on.

She stated that ever since she commercialised her basketry business in the early 90s, she had travelled the world to sell them.

“Basketry puts food on my table and I never give away baskets for free because I put a lot of soul and effort into creating them. 

I take my business seriously,” Ms Kushonya said.

She invited the young learners to join her on weekends for basket weaving classes at Sedie, Maun, where she mentored youth.

One of the students, Bokamoso Dihedile relished the opportunity accorded to them by Women in Tourism, saying it had awakened her passion in tourism. 

She promised to study hard and pursue a career in tourism and ultimately start her own tourism company.

Ms Dihedile appreciated Women in Tourism for teaching her the importance of agro-tourism and how tourism could be incorporated into agriculture.

Maun Senior Secondary School piloted the Hospitality and Tourism Studies (HTS) as part of the Ministry of Education’s Outcome-Based Education initiative. 

There are 245 students currently enrolled in the  Hospitality and Tourism Studies at the school. ENDS