17 Mar 2024

Wilderness Safari Company has been recognised for its significant contribution to the development of cluster initiatives aimed at diversifying the economy and enhancing the country’s competitiveness.

In alignment with the government’s efforts to embrace cluster development, particularly within the tourism sector.

During a briefing for tourism stakeholders in Maun, Mr Jobe Ofetotse, the deputy permanent secretary in the Ministry of Environment and Tourism, said Ngamiland was selected as a pilot region to spearhead this initiative, with plans to expand to other districts and attraction areas such as Chobe, North, Central, and Eastern Botswana, including the Tuli Block, Kgalagadi, and Ghanzi.

In Ngamiland, he said Bojanala cluster was established and  the ministry tasked Botswana Tourism Organisation (BTO) to lead the implementation on the tourism cluster initiative and appreciated that through the entire exercise, Wilderness Company was part of the process and as one of the major players in tourism.

“This cluster was created under the guidance of the BTO, with the involvement of Wilderness Company, a key player in Ngamiland tourism, “ he said

Following the formulation of the cluster strategy in November 2018, its implementation commenced in 2019 but faced interruptions over the subsequent three years, primarily due to challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic.

However, in 2023, BTO initiated efforts to revive the cluster, appointing a dedicated team to steer the implementation process and expand the tourism cluster initiative to other areas.  “BTO has since July 2023 been working in the region to resuscitate the first work-groups and then the entire cluster and there has been some progress made in that cluster as it held several meetings to re-look at the strategy and the action lines (projects/activities) that were designed and adjusted them where necessary taking into consideration developments that have taken place in the global tourism environment,” he said.

Mr Ofetotse emphasised the importance of enhancing various areas within the cluster, such as developing local suppliers, skills enhancement, product development, public coordination, and specialised marketing, particularly for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMMEs).

He also mentioned upcoming activities planned for the cluster, including a skills development workshop for specialised chefs scheduled in Maun on March 25-27.

This workshop, in collaboration with the Human Resource Development Council (HRDC) and the Botswana Chefs Association, aims to design a curriculum focused on producing chefs tailored to industry requirements.

Furthermore, there are future plans for additional skills development workshops focusing on tour guiding and storytelling. The efforts underway aim to strengthen the Bojanala cluster strategy and underscore the vital role that Wilderness Company plays in advancing regional competitiveness and fostering ongoing collaboration within the tourism sector. ENDS