26 Jan 2026

The Vice President Ndaba Gaolathe has emphasised the crucial role of tourism in driving socio-economic transformation and shared prosperity across Botswana. 

Delivering the keynote address at the launch of the 2026 Tourism Pitso in Francistown on Thursday, Mr Gaolathe, also Minister of Finance, highlighted the sector’s potential to contribute to economic diversification and job creation. 

He explained that the Botswana Economic Transformation Programme (BETP) and National Development Plan 12 (NDP 12) were designed to deepen citizen participation in the economy, strengthen collaborations and foster inclusive growth. 

He added that the tourism sector remained top priority, with strategic focus on reducing economic leakages, regaining value and enhancing global competitiveness.

He stressed that tourism must serve as a sustainable driver for wealth and welfare, creating opportunities for all citizens to ensure that Botswana ranked among the world’s leading sustainable destinations. 

For his part, Minister of Environment and Tourism, Mr Wynter Mmolotsi, outlined several ambitious projects intended to boost the sector, including addressing local per diem concerns and diversifying tourism offerings. 

“The ministry is finalising a tender to engage a consultant to study the impacts of local per diem on tourism, aiming to provide evidence-based recommendations for policy adjustments,” Minister Mmolotsi stated.

The minister also highlighted significant legislative milestones which included the Community-Based Natural Resource Management Bill, which he said had been passed by Parliament to strengthen community involvement and ownership. 

He said recently approved by Cabinet, the review aimed to streamline licensing and foster a more investor-friendly environment. Despite global challenges, the minister reported that the sector had shown remarkable resilience. 

“The sector has shown resilience, with 1 183,432 international arrivals in 2023 and a strong recovery trajectory, contributing 5.1 per cent to GDP and supporting over 58,000 jobs,” he added.

Meanwhile, the 2026 Tourism Pitso was held under the theme, Tourism as a catalyst for economic transformation and sustainable growth through partnerships. BOPA