28 Apr 2024

A lot more needs to be done to transform the tourism sector into a new growth mode, particularly as the government is advocating for transformation, says Mr Charles Tibone, a local businessman and chairperson of Motor Holdings Botswana.

He emphasised that the tourism sector is one of the fastest-growing industries worldwide and has the potential to evolve into a world-class undertaking.

Mr Tibone expressed that Botswana’s tourism remains attractive, unique, and diversified.

These remarks were made during the annual Hospitality and Tourism Association of Botswana (HATAB) conference in Maun recently.

Mr Tibone mentioned that the foundation has been laid, allowing for an increase in both investment and sophistication within the industry.

He suggested that further diversification of tourism could be achieved through additional investments from both external sources and citizens.

Mr. Tibone also highlighted the potential for tourism to contribute more than 10 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and create more jobs than the current informal sector, which employs around 200 000 people.

Mr Tibone proposed five sub-items for consideration, aiming to create a conducive environment for investment and growth in the tourism industry.

These sub-items included prospects for growth leading to increased GDP contribution, job creation, conservation efforts amidst human-wildlife conflict, air travel in tourism, and a zero-tolerance policy towards corruption.

He stressed the importance of not only creating a favourable climate for foreign direct investment but also significantly increasing the value of citizen investment in the industry.

Mr Tibone also advocated for the creation of more opportunities in regions like Nata and the Tuli Blocks, especially if prime areas faced pressure.

Highlighting Nata as a haven for bird watchers, he described it as a unique intersection of desert, swamps, marshes, and grasslands, providing an abundant variety of birds typically found in each ecosystem. Similarly, he touched upon the potential of the Tuli Block region in further enhancing Botswana’s tourism offerings.

Mr Tibone said had great potential citing occupancies in lodges at Madikwe on the South African side which he said were strong and said to show viability.

“The area is at the beginning of the Notwane, Madikwe, Shashe Limpopo basins and the Botswana side of this resource is barely developed.

If focus were to be redirected to this area, places like Selibe Phikwe could in the long term become tourist hubs. The potential for agrotourism in the area remains untapped,” he added.

He also called for more Batswana into the industry, not just as licence holders but more importantly as tourists citing that access to the prime tourist areas should be made more affordable and less tortuous.

In Namibia and South Africa, many farms, he said had been opened up as tourist destinations, and tourists from overseas seemed to patronise them on a frequent basis and believed such models needed to be examined in an effort to create more jobs.

Mr Tibone also called for investment in air travel noting that smooth air travel was critical to the creation of a conducive environment.

He also appealed to all stakeholders to ensure that corruption did not creep into the industry noting that applications for tourist concessions must be assessed fairly and objectively.

Disputes, he said must be adjudicated lawfully without favour citing that any deviation from the rule of law would tarnish the image of the industry and cause incalculable damage and stressed the need to avoid such at all cost.

Mr Tibone also appealed to the industry players to assist in upgrading primary education and other facilities in such villages as Seronga, Gonutshoga, Beetsha and Godikwa so that they become an attraction in themselves.

For his part, Minister of Environment and Tourism, Mr Mr Dumezweni Mthimkhulu appreciated Mr Tibone’s passion for the industry and thanked his contribution in the conference.

Working together with the industry players, he said could create innovative strategies to attract more tourists to the country and showcase all that Botswana had to offer.

Mr Mthimkhulu said with their expertise and support, government could develop sustainable tourism initiatives that would not only benefit the economy but also preserve the natural resources for future generations.

“I am eager to collaborate with them and explore new opportunities to drive growth and prosperity for all Batswana,” he added. Ends