01 Oct 2024

To exploit opportunities in tourism, Botswana and Zimbabwe should work together to enhance and develop their tourism sectors.

Zimbabwe Youth in Tourism organisation cultural expert and mentor in tourism, Dr Munyuki Ncube has said, noting that it will also promote the cultural tourism aspect.

He made the remarks during the annual Botswana Tourism Tour Guide competition and expo themed; Promoting sustainable tourism to rural communities through health issues, wilderness service and cultural tourism held at Lunar Garden in Maun recently.

He also pledged to collaborate with the founder of the competition to promote cross cultural understanding through tourism.

Dr Ncube said both countries could initiate a tourism ambassadorial programme and organize cultural and food exchange expos to discover both countries wilderness, culture and lifestyle.

He said the tourism ambassadors could inspire tourism partnerships, operators, and volunteers among others to turn every visitor encounter into a positive experience.

“Through the expos, we could learn from each other, appreciate diverse cultures, food, music and dance as well as enjoy everything about our cultures and countries,” Dr Ncube added.

Both countries, he said could also have language and tourism programme where they learn to communicate in diverse languages, citing that language was important in tourism as it acted as a gateway to local environment, adding that proper communication channels help promote sustainable tourism.

He acknowledged the establishment of community trusts in Botswana, saying it was impressing, adding how they are operated was what Zimbabwe could benchmark from.

In Zimbabwe, he said they had campfire programmes and hoped that once they start exchange trips, Botswana would learn more on how they work for the benefit of communities.

“Our director general has also emphasized a need for both countries to organise youth in tourism conferences yearly and mentorship programme where stakeholders would inspire youths to partake in tourism as well as empower them create a more sustainable and responsible tourism,” he said.

Okavango Research Institute acting deputy director, Dr Oliver Moses appreciated that the event provided youth and community trusts with a platform to participate in tour guide competition and to exhibit their tourism products and services.

Tourism, he said was one of the fastest growing industries and was a catalyst for local community economic activities especially for communities in proximity to Okavango Delta.

He said it was the engine of growth for several Community Based Organisations (CBOs) in Botswana citing that through it, CBOs became significant sources of income, employment and poverty alleviation strategies.

“CBOs like village trusts and cooperatives provide an organized and equitable community tourism beneficiation model and the ideal CBOs’ arrangement is to empower the community through tourism opportunities with some real spillover effect such as local household entrepreneurial skills enhancement and local products market access and empowering the vulnerable and the poor,” added Dr Moses.

He also said tourism played a significant role in preserving and promoting cultural heritage and cultural exchange of local communities.

International and domestic tourists, he said, were often excited to explore communities’ unique traditions, customs and historical sites.

“Of recent, there has been an increased demand for cultural experiences, which encourages locals to preserve their traditions and showcase their heritage, hence tourism acts as a bridge for cultural exchange, fostering greater understanding and appreciation between tourists and local communities,” he added. Ends