28 Sep 2026

This year’s World Tourism Day is particularly significant for Botswana as it coincides with a historic year in which the nation celebrates 60 years of independence, its Diamond Jubilee. 

The Minister of Enironment and Tourism , Mr Wynter Mmolotsi said during the World Tourism Day celebrations held at the Three Dikgosi monument in Gaborone on Saturday that the sixty years gave Botswana an opportunity to reflect on her journey from the past, the progress and achievement recorded over the years. 

He noted that tourism had been and continued to be a key contributor to Botswana’s development pathways. He highlighted that the sector had created employment and enterprise opportunities, generated foreign exchange, supported communities and businesses, promoted culture and heritage, and placed Botswana on the global map. 

However, he urged that as Batswana celebrate the nation’s achievements, they must also pause and reflect on where they would want their country to be in the next 60 years and the role they would want the tourism sector to play in creating more meaningful economic opportunities for Batswana. 

The tourism sector, the minister stated, was changing rapidly in the way people discover destinations, search for information, make travel decisions, book accommodation, purchase experiences, and navigate destinations. 

“Nowadays, travel planning is increasingly digital, and this means Botswana cannot afford to remain on the margins of this transformation. Digital technology is here to stay, and our responsibility is to use it to our advantage,” he noted. 

Furthermore, the minister called for the harnessing of digital platforms, data, artificial intelligence, virtual experiences, digital marketing, and other emerging technologies to improve how Botswana develops, packages, markets, sells, and delivers tourism experiences. 

“We must make it easier for a visitor to discover Botswana, plan a trip, book a tourism product, travel within the country, and share their experience with the rest of the world. Technology also gives us an opportunity to tell our own story with pride, taking advantage of extraordinary natural, cultural, and historical assets. We have wildlife, beautiful landscapes, communities, traditions, heritage, cuisines, arts, creativity, and stories that deserve to be seen and experienced by the world,” he said. 

This year’s commemoration theme: Digital Agenda and Artificial Intelligence to Redesign Tourism, signifies the importance of digital technologies as the country embarks on diversifying its economy beyond minerals, especially diamonds. ENDS