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Botswana's Travel & Tourism industry is expected to generate US$1,620 million of economic activity according to the latest Tourism Satellite
Accounting (TSA) report produced by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) and commissioned by the Government of Botswana and
the Botswana Tourism Board.
Over the next ten years Botswana's
travel and tourism industry is expected to achieve an annualized real growth of 5%, exceeding the
world average at 4.3% and the Sub-Saharan African average at 4.5%. According to the forecasts detailed in the report, Travel
and tourism already contributes over 10% of total employment and some 16% of non-mining GDP.
At the official launch
of the report delivered to the Botswana Cabinet, WTTC President Jean-Claude Baumgarten cautioned, "Although this growth is
positive and the country is one of the Africa's most exciting travel destinations, it remains relatively unknown and is heavily dependent on
intraregional tourists. Indeed, as far as long-haul markets are concerned, it is probably Africa's best-kept
secret."
"However these
forecasts show that, with the right policy framework, Botswana has the potential not only to expand rapidly but also to significantly broaden
its tourism product base, appealing to much a wider range of tourist tastes and
budgets," he added.
Botswana's Minister of Environment, Wildlife and Tourism Honourable Onkokame Kitso Mokaila announced that
travel and tourism will be
made a priority for the country's economy, which can no longer depend on its mining industry, "This report comes at a crucial point for
Botswana and will help the government to reach the highest level of potential that can be realised. Travel
and tourism will contribute
enormously to the country's economy and we are committed to running a conscious campaign to publicize the strategic role and benefits of
tourism in order to stimulate a more positive perception to the wider
public."
Baumgarten
outlined a series of policy recommendations that the government
should apply to its travel and tourism strategy. These recommendations include:
-
Prioritise tourism, review tourism and re-examine the institutional structure
- Improve policy coordination and implementation
- Devote sufficient resources to tourism research and monitoring
- Improve air transport services for long-haul markets
- Promote tourism product diversification
- Encourage community-based initiatives
- Promote an explicit linkage to all stakeholders
- Improve land allocation for tourism purposes
- Continue conservation and environmental efforts to achieve sustainable tourism
- Invest in preparing Botswana's citizens for careers in tourism
- Act to ease water and energy constraints
- Support technological innovation in the tourism sector
- Ease travel restrictions wherever possible
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