Justina Uzo
The Botswana Acting High Commissioner to Nigeria, Ambassador Gomotsang Kealeboga-Nkanga, has restated his country’s commitment to work with investors willing to invest in its diverse and huge natural resources.
He said tourism remains one of the key sectors that contributes immensely to Botswana’s economic development and that they are also pursuing development and investment in other key sectors of the economy.
Kealeboga-Nkanga, disclosed this during the 2022 CMD Food Tour of Africa, the Caribbean and Asia recently held in Abuja. She said: “Tourism is the second largest contributor to Botswana’s GDP. In this regard, Botswana has dedicated 38 per cent of its total land area to national parks, reserves, and wildlife management areas.
“We are committed to expanding our tourism with a deliberate intention to promote investment in this sector, therefore we are aggressively expanding our Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE) opportunities, Lodges, agro-tourism, and Medical Tourism among others. Our objective is to ensure that Botswana remains a premier tourist destination of choice, and an investment venue and continues to attract international tourism events.
“Botswana hosted the Africa Tourism Leadership Forum in October 2022. Furthermore. We remain focused on wildlife protection, environment conservation, and the preservation of cultural heritage as well as cultural activities.”
The envoy revealed that their revised Tourism Policy aspires for a diversified tourism sector from wildlife into culture, religion, heritage, sports, art, and folklore to name but a few. This diversification agenda, she said, is operationalized through the Community-based Natural Resources Management (CBNRM) programme whereby communities are core actors and beneficiaries of the value chains created.
She used the opportunity to invite tourists to Botswana saying that the country offers an opportunity to experience the world’s largest inland Delta – the Okavango, the world’s second largest game reserve – the Central Kalahari Game Reserve, the astoundingly prolific wildlife of the Chobe National Park, and many more unimaginable areas of interest that would attract any tourist’s eye.
Guests and participants were welcomed to the Botswana stand by the mission’s charge d’affaires Mr. Roy Paya.
