16 Jul 2019

The President, Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi has reaffirmed government’s commitment to ensure that the country’s tourism industry becomes the best in Africa.

Addressing the media at the annual Makgadikgadi Epic in Sowa Town on July 13, President Masisi said government as the custodian of the tourism industry, had set a target of being the best in order to attract and retain tourists from around the world.

He noted that focus would be on events such as the epic to continue attracting more foreign participants and skydivers from among others Europe and United States of America as it gives Botswana ample opportunity to attract much-needed investors to invest in different sectors locally.

He said government was working tirelessly to ensure that it brought as many investors as possible to inject investment in the economy hence boosting the different sectors, which would in return make attractive returns.

He further promised to take to the sky and dive next year, saying it would be the best way of celebrating his victory after the general election.

For his part, Minister of Environment, Natural Resources, Conservation and Tourism Kitso Mokaila said the ministry’s mandate was to ensure that they grow the tourism industry by partnering with different stakeholders locally and even abroad.

He said just recently for the first time, they partnered with the Botswana Railways during the annual desert race, which was held in Selebi Phikwe, a move which was fruitful.

Furthermore, Mokaila said for Botswana to achieve its goal of becoming the best tourism industry in the world, there was a need to pull strings together locally.

He said it was the ministry’s intention to bring more stakeholders on board such as the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry to assist the Small, Micro and Medium Enterprises to have attractive cubicles were they would be operating from during events such as the epic.

The President was accompanied by First Lady Neo Masisi and cabinet ministers among them Bagalatia Aaron, Moisiraele Goya and Lelatisitswe Sethomo. Ends