08 Dec 2022

The Ministry of Environment and Tourism is on a drive to identify potential tourism development and investment facilitation areas geared towards the regeneration of towns and villages, Ms Philda Kereng has said.

Responding to a question in Parliament, Ms Kereng said her Ministry has developed the National Tourism Strategy and Master Plan of 2022 which was currently at the finalisation stage detailing a roadmap for the sustainable development of tourism in Botswana over the next 10 years.

Minister Kereng said some of the developments that have been undertaken to revitalise villages and towns was promotion and development of heritage sites and museums within areas identified. She said this was in line with her Ministry’s development of heritage trails that were used to expand and diversify the tourism product as the sector recovers from the COVID-19 economic impact.

Some of the developments undertaken include Samora Machel Museum, Old Legislative Council Building, Old Radio Botswana Buildings as well as Fish Keitseng Safehouse in Lobatse. These heritage sites in Lobatse, she noted formed part of the liberation heritage route, which is a collaborative programme aimed at identifying, preserving and promoting significant sites related to the liberation struggle across Southern Africa.

Therefore, Ms Kereng said her Ministry recognised the potential heritage sites have in the diversification of tourism in both villages and towns throughout the country. She said some of these heritage sites were fully documented and a deliberate plan was underway to refurbish and package them as part of the heritage trials.

Ms Kereng was answering a question from Member of Parliament for Lobatse Dr Thapelo Matsheka, who wanted an update on the initiatives and progress in establishing a tourism scheme to support the regeneration of towns and villages. ENDs