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Industry participants in Botswana and abroad extol the country’s unique natural resources that provide it with a significant advantage in the tourism sector.  Tourism is a major contributor to the national economy and has tremendous potential for growth.  Most business analysts estimate this difficult-to-quantify sector accounts for less than 10 percent of GDP.  The GoB is committed to growing the sector as part of its economic diversification strategy and has lined several tourism projects to be funded under the current financial budget.  This includes exploring value chain opportunities in the tourism sector and the Kasane-Kazungula re-development project.  Botswana seeks to broaden its tourism base by adding more products and increasing the geographic spread of tourism.  While to-date Botswana tourism has focused almost exclusively on high-end consumers, the GoB is interested in expanding into the mid-range market in an effort to increase revenue and jobs for Batswana.  Providing consistent quality service remains the main challenge.  

While there are few high-quality hotel and conference facilities in Gaborone, Botswana has sought to position itself as a conference destination.  The GoB and Washington-based Corporate Council on Africa co-hosted the U.S.-Africa Business Summit in July 2023 .  Botswana hosted the 73rd session of the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Committee for Africa in August-September 2023.  Gaborone’s hotel room capacity is still insufficient even with the emergence of new hotel service providers, creating an opportunity for investment.  In 2019, the U.S.-based chain Hilton entered the Botswana hotel market with a branch of its Hilton Garden Inn brand in Gaborone.  In 2020, the U.S.-based Marriott International – the largest hotel chain in the world – entered the Botswana market through an existing property now operating under Marriott’s Protea brand.

The Botswana Tourism Organization (BTO), a quasi-governmental entity, is responsible for all operational functions of the tourism sector such as marketing, investment promotion, and the grading of tourism facilities to international standards.  The Hospitality and Tourism Association of Botswana (HATAB) is a non-profit organization that serves as the governing body of hospitality and tourism industries. This wholly member funded organization exists to promote, encourage, and police excellence in hospitality and tourism in Botswana.

Sub-Sector Best Prospects  

Eco-tourism, midrange tourism excursions, hotels, lodges, resorts, direct flights, and restaurants are the best sub-sector prospects.

Opportunities  

There are opportunities for joint ventures for hotel expansions and start-ups along the Trans-Kalahari Highway, joining Botswana and Namibia, and development of lodges in the Kgalagadi Trans-frontier Park, Central Kalahari Game Reserve, Makgadikgadi Pans National Park, and forest reserves surrounding Chobe National Park.  A memorandum of understanding to establish a trans-frontier conservation area, commonly referred to as the Limpopo-Shashe Transfrontier Conservation Area (TFCA), was signed in June 2006.  This is a unique partnership between the governments of Botswana, South Africa, and Zimbabwe, the private sector, and the local communities to create new opportunities for eco-tourism.  The TFCA was renamed the Greater Mapungubwe TFCA on June 19, 2009. The Greater Mapungubwe is similar in concept to the Kavango-Zambezi (KAZA) TFCA that seeks to connect Protected Areas in Zambia, Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe, and Angola.  Member countries are working to simplify travel between protected areas in the five-country region through the implementation of the KAZA UniVisa for Botswana and the region.  

Resources  

Botswana Ministry of Environment and Tourism

Hospitality and Tourism Association of Botswana (HATAB)

The Tourist (Botswana Tourism Magazine)

Botswana Tourism Organization (BTO)

Botswana Ministry of Trade and Industry  

In Pursuit of Sustainable Tourism in Botswana: Perceptions of Maun Tourism Accommodation Operators on Tourism Certification and Eco-Labelling

• First Online: 01 June 2022

Cite this chapter

• Godiraone Trompies Motsaathebe 7 &
• Wame L. Hambira 7  

Part of the book series: Geographies of Tourism and Global Change ((GTGC))

354 Accesses

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Tourism is one of the main engines of growth for many economies around the world. This growth has also brought up some negative environmental and socio-economic impacts. Tourism stakeholders have been forced to come up with several mitigation strategies such as certification and eco-labelling to combat these challenges. As a rarely explored concept in the Botswana tourism industry, this paper seeks to determine tourism accommodation operators’ perceptions about tourism certification and eco-labelling based on the Botswana Ecotourism Certification System. A qualitative data enquiry was used in which corporate executives of tourism accommodation facilities were interviewed to determine their perceptions on tourism certification and eco-labelling. The results revealed that tourism businesses in Maun have positive perceptions about tourism eco-labelling and are willing to participate in the program. However, lack of awareness about the scheme and other main factors hinders their attempts to participate in the program. The study recommends that policymakers and developers should intensify awareness-raising within the tourism business community and to devise strategies to incentivize companies to take the necessary action towards building sustainable tourism in Maun.

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Motsaathebe, G.T., Hambira, W.L. (2022). In Pursuit of Sustainable Tourism in Botswana: Perceptions of Maun Tourism Accommodation Operators on Tourism Certification and Eco-Labelling. In: Saarinen, J., Lubbe, B., Moswete, N.N. (eds) Southern African Perspectives on Sustainable Tourism Management. Geographies of Tourism and Global Change. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-99435-8_3

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CHAPTER 42:10 BOTSWANA TOURISM ORGANISATION

ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS

    SECTION

PART I Preliminary

     1 .    Short title

     2 .    Interpretation

PART II Establishment and functions of Botswana Tourism and its Board

     3 .    Establishment of Botswana Tourism Organisation

     4 .    General powers and functions of Botswana Tourism

     5 .    Board of Directors

     6 .    Appointment of Secretary of Board

     7 .    Powers and functions of Board

     8 .    Seal of Botswana Tourism

     9 .    Tenure of office

     10 .    Disqualification, removal, suspension and resignation of members of Board

     11 .    Vacation of office by members of Board

     12 .    Filling of vacancy

     13 .    Remuneration and allowances

PART III Meetings and proceedings of Board

     14 .    Proceedings of Board

     15 .    Committees of Board

     16 .    Disclosure of interest by member

     17 .    Confidentiality

PART IV Chief Executive and other staff of Botswana Tourism

     18 .    Chief Executive

     19 .    Appointment of staff of Botswana Tourism

PART V Financial provisions

     20 .    Revenues of Botswana Tourism

     21 .    Financial year

     22 .    Accounts and audit

     23 .    Pension and other funds

     24 .    Annual Report

PART VI Grading of tourist enterprises

     25 .    Grading of tourist enterprises

     26 .    Application for grade

     27 .    Criteria for grading of tourist enterprises

     28 .    Duration and renewal of grading certificate

     29 .    Amendment of grade

     30 .    Grade to be displayed

     31 .    Grading fees

PART VII General provisions

     32 .    Power to enter premises or land

     33 .    Appeals to Minister

     34 .    Indemnity

     35 .    Offences

     36 .    Regulations

     37 .    Repeal of Cap. 42:10

Act 14, 2004, S.I. 63, 2004, Act 14, 2009, S.I. 42, 2010.

An Act to make provision for the establishment of a Botswana Tourism Organisation, a Board of Directors and the regulation of the tourist industry with a view to promoting its development and well-being, and to provide for matters connected there with or incidental thereto.

[ Date of Commencement: 30th April, 2010 ]

PART I Preliminary (ss 1-2)

1.    Short title

    This Act may be cited as the Botswana Tourism Organisation Act.

2.    Interpretation

    In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires—

     "Board" means the Board of Directors established under section 5;

     "Botswana Tourism" means the Botswana Tourism Organisation established under section 3;

     "Chief Executive" means the Chief Executive officer of Botswana Tourism Organisation appointed as such under section 18;

     "grade" means to assign a symbol in accordance with the criteria prescribed for the grading and classification of tourist enterprises, and "re-grade" shall have a corresponding meaning;

     "market intelligence" means, in the context of the tourism industry, the continuous surveillance and evaluation of both the existing and the potential business trends;

     "member" means a member of the Board appointed under section 5;

     "senior staff" means any employee of Botswana Tourism Organisation who holds a position which is designated as such by the Board; and

     "tourist enterprise" shall have the same meaning ascribed to it in the Tourism Act (Cap. 42:09).

PART II Establishment and functions of Botswana Tourism Organisation and its Board (ss 3-13)

3.    Establishment of Botswana Tourism Organisation

    (1) There is hereby established an organisation to be known as Botswana Tourism Organisation which shall be a body corporate with a common seal, capable of suing and being sued in its own name and, subject to the provisions of this Act, of doing or performing all such acts or things as bodies corporate may, by law, do or perform.

    (2) All rights, obligations, assets and liabilities which have accrued to the Botswana Tourism Board in terms of the repealed Act shall, upon this Act coming into force, simultaneously pass and accrue to Botswana Tourism and be dealt with in terms of this Act.

4.    General powers and functions of Botswana Tourism

    (1) Botswana Tourism shall do all such things as are necessary to market and promote tourist attractions, and to encourage and facilitate travel, by local and foreign tourists, to the said attractions.

    (2) Without derogating from the generality of the provisions of subsection (1), Botswana Tourism shall—

    ( a )    plan, develop and implement tourism marketing and promotion strategies aimed at creating and sustaining a positive image of Botswana as a tourist and investor destination;

    ( b )    plan, formulate and implement strategies for promoting sustainable tourism development in collaboration with the private sector in the tourism industry, local authorities, local communities and non-governmental organisations;

    ( c )    implement Government policies and programmes aimed at facilitating the continued growth and development of the tourism sector;

    ( d )    develop and implement appropriate strategies for achieving annual work plan objectives and set performance targets aimed at the promotion of the tourism business in Botswana;

    ( e )    establish and expand local as well as international travel trade networks to promote and sell Botswana as a tourist destination;

    ( f )    manage and co-ordinate tourism promotional and publicity programmes;

    ( g )    provide market research information and market intelligence on tourism;

    ( h )    promote the expansion of existing tourist enterprises and new investments in the tourism sector;

    ( i )    market and promote the establishment of joint tourist enterprise ventures between citizen and foreign investors;

    ( j )    promote the improvement of tourist enterprise and service standards;

    ( k )    grade and classify tourist enterprise facilities in accordance with

    ( l )    conduct tourism awareness campaigns and tourism research within and outside Botswana;

    ( m )    develop and improve the existing tourism opportunities and diversify the sector to include other forms of tourism, such as cultural and heritage tourism, eco-tourism, entertainment, recreational and leisure tourism and bring them to the required marketable standard;

    ( n )    select, develop and bring to the required marketable standard, any tourism project, solely or through partnerships with any community based organisation or any individual; and

    ( o )    select and facilitate any tourism project from any community based organisation or any individual to bring the project to the required marketable standard.

5.    Board of Directors

    (1) There shall be a Board of Director for Botswana Tourism which shall be the governing body of Botswana Tourism.

    (2) The Board shall consist of the following members appointed by the Minister—

    ( a )    a Chairperson;

    ( b )    a Vice Chairperson;

    ( c )    a representative of the Ministry responsible for tourism;

    ( d )    six members from the public and private sector who have the skill, experience and competence relevant to the tourism industry.

    (3) The Chief Executive shall be an ex-officio member of the Board.

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With its standout safaris, luxury lodges and the cosmopolitan capital of Gabarone, Botswana has a lot to offer the discerning business traveller.

Botswana’s wild landscapes attract nature lovers from around the world. Visitors are captivated by its dramatic vistas, from the undulating dunes of the Kalahari Desert to the lush Okavango Delta. Clusters of ancient baobab trees and shimmering salt plains also draw in the crowds. A landlocked country slightly larger than France, Botswana shares borders with Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe. Over a third of its land is reserved for wildlife parks and game reserves. Botswana boasts an abundance of wildlife, including the black-maned lion and Cape buffalo. As a result, it’s one of Africa’s top safari destinations, renowned for its luxury tented camps and lodges.

While English is the official language, most Botswanans speak Setswana. Over 20 languages are in use, including Afrikaans, Kalanga and Kgalagadi – an indicator of the country’s ethnic diversity. Botswana is also a country steeped in traditional culture and folklore. The Maitisong Festival is a major cultural arts festival in Gabarone. But the country’s most legendary event is the Toyota Kalahari Botswana 1000 Desert Race – an adrenaline-fuelled car race spanning a thousand kilometres of the Kalahari Desert. With its warm climate, luxurious accommodation and breath-taking landscapes, Botswana is an inviting tourist destination.

THE BUSINESS END

In the 1960s, Botswana was a British protectorate known as Bechuanaland. It was one of the world’s poorest nations. But its independence in 1966 sparked the beginnings of rapid economic growth. In 1967, diamonds were discovered in the town of Orapa, which became the largest diamond-producing mine in the world. This allowed the government to invest heavily in primary and secondary infrastructure ­­– it also improved social services and education. Between the 1960s and 1990s, Botswana had the highest rate of economic growth in the world. The per capita GDP has increased almost elevenfold since independence. Botswana’s consumers now constitute a high net worth market.

Today, Botswana is Africa’s most long standing democracy. It is renowned for its lack of corruption, political stability and low crime rates. The economy continues to expand, with half of all government revenue coming from diamond exports. Tourism is also big business in Botswana. In 2018, the travel and tourism economy exceeded $2.5 billion, and the sector supports 84,000 jobs. Around 96 percent of tourists were travelling for leisure, with the remaining four percent visiting for business reasons. The government are keen to promote Botswana as a business destination. The capital, Gabarone, is an up-and-coming MICE hub with conference centres, upmarket hotels and restaurants. 

TOURISM INSIGHTS: BOTSWANA TOURISM ASSOCIATION

Botswana Tourism Organisation was established in 2009. Its mission: to develop Botswana into a popular tourist destination, thereby increasing the sector’s contribution to the nation’s economic growth. The organisation is committed to sustainable tourism and collaborating with local and international communities. We spoke to the CEO, Myra Sekgororoane, about Botswana Tourism Organisation’s past development and future goals.

Q&A WITH MYRA SEKGOROROANE, CEO, BOTSWANA TOURISM ORGANISATION

Since inception, how has Botswana Tourism Organisation developed and progressed in terms of its key objectives and the messages it tries to get across?

Myra Sekgororoane (MS):  Botswana Tourism Organisation was set up by the government to market tourist products, grade tourist accommodation and promote investment in the tourism sector. The organisation has successfully managed to introduce high standards and develop tourism strategies that exceed customer expectations, while building customer confidence around the world. The organisation aims to increase the tourism sector’s contribution to Botswana’s economic growth. It does so by promoting Botswana as a destination of choice at both regional and international exhibitions, such as World Travel Market London. 

How would you say Botswana has developed in recent years as a business travel hub and what are the key reasons behind its growing appeal?

(MS): Botswana has experienced significant growth in the business travel sector. This is largely due to major developments in infrastructure, such as improved conference facilities, airports and roads. An increase in hosting major events is a second contributing factor.

Why, in your opinion, should someone visit Botswana?

(MS): Botswana is one of Africa’s top tourist destinations. This is thanks to its rich culture, stable democracy, biodiversity and varied landscapes. In Botswana you will find one of the world’s largest inland deltas, vast rivers, grassy plains, deserts and salt pans.

Are there any specific attractions, landmarks or places to eat and drink that you would recommend?

(MS): Botswana is renowned for having some of the best wilderness areas on the continent, such as the stunning Kalahari Desert and the lush Okavango Delta. Sites of historic interest include the Tsodilo Hills and Goo Moremi Gorge. In recent years, cities such as Gabarone have improved the quality of their services, offering high-end hotels, restaurants and bars.

What are the best ways of getting around the country?

(MS): There are various ways you can explore Botswana: by air, rail and road. Our national carrier is Air Botswana, which operates a scheduled network between Gaborone, Francistown, Maun and Kasane. You can also take small 6-12 seater planes to more remote camps in the Delta, Kalahari and Chobe regions. These are normally organised by private tour operators and depart from Maun and Kasane. We also have a growing rail network. Many tourists elect to drive in Botswana. The country has a good road network, especially in towns and between major cities.

What trends are transforming the tourism industry in Botswana at present? How are you responding to these trends?

(MS): China is the leading generator of outbound travel in both figures and expenditure, with many destinations vying for a portion of the market. Botswana is no exception to this emerging, lucrative trend. Plans are under way to intensify entry and penetration of the Chinese market. We have already participated at the International Travel Expo (ITE-Hong Kong) and are conducting market research into what Chinese consumers look for from a destination. We are also interested in attracting the millennial travel market. Since many millennials organise their travel online, developing web-based strategies to optimise the market is crucial. We are also committed to developing inclusive tourism so that people of all ages, abilities and sexual orientation will enjoy visiting Botswana. Finally, we are proponents of sustainable tourism, responding to demands from tourists themselves.

How do you see Botswana developing as a business travel hub over the next year to two years?

(MS): The events industry is a dynamic and fast-growing sector with obvious synergies with tourism. Events planning has over the years proved to have the potential to grow the tourism economy, provide media exposure, promote development, and stimulate infrastructure developments. The Botswana Tourism Organisation has therefore successfully hosted events to help grow the tourism industry, as part of a broader strategy.

Are there any plans or projects in the pipeline that you wish to highlight?

(MS): In a bid to diversify and expand the tourism industry, the Government of Botswana has established the Dams Initiative. The project will diversify Botswanan tourism and improve the economic livelihoods of local communities through the development of lodges, campsites and outdoor activities. The communities around these projects are expected to actively participate and directly benefit from the dam tourism initiative, which will be carried out in collaboration with other relevant stakeholders. 

Are you optimistic about the future of the tourism industry in Botswana?

(MS): The Government of Botswana is committed to growing the tourism industry as part of its economic diversification strategy. Tourism plays a significant role in the national economy, creates jobs and exhibits enormous potential for future growth. The future is positive for the industry in Botswana – we seek to expand tourism in the country by adding more products and increasing geographic spread.

GABORONE IN FOCUS

Botswana’s capital city, Gabarone, is a laidback metropolis with a population of 232,000. Construction began on the city in 1964, and was completed three years later. The country’s government buildings are all located here, alongside universities, shopping malls and upmarket hotels. Gabarone has a growing number of conference centres and business hotels, and good transport links to the rest of the country.

The city centre is characterised by Main Mall, a pedestrianised strip of shops, restaurants and other amenities. Many of Barone’s bars and restaurants are located in indoor malls dotted around the city. Business travellers will discover plenty to entertain them.

Despite its modern appearance, Gabarone is a great place to learn more about the country’s traditional culture. Botswanacraft is the country’s largest craft emporium, selling handicrafts made by Botswanan and African artisans. Gabarone’s most well-known landmark is The Three Digkosi Monument, bronze statues of the three chiefs who pleaded with Britain for independence. Gabarone is surrounded by nature reserves, including the Molokodi Game Reserve, and is home to animals such as giraffes, ostriches and wildebeest. It’s also an ideal jumping-off point to explore the vast Kalahari Desert. 

LANDMARK ATTRACTIONS

CHIEF’S ISLAND

“The combination of reed-fringed waters, grasslands and light woodlands makes for game viewing that can feel like a BBC wildlife documentary brought to life. Not surprisingly, the island is home to some of the most exclusive lodges and tented camps in Africa” –  Lonely Planet

MAKGADIKAGI NATIONAL PARK

“The shimmering salt pans of Makgadikgadi along with the Nxai Pans are believed to be the largest in the world. Most of the time they appear as glaring, white, endless plains. During the rainy season they are one of the most important wetland areas in Botswana – when they transform and come alive into stunning grass-plains” –  Siyabona Africa

BAINES’ BAOBABS 

“Located in the south of Nxai Pans National Park are the seven baobabs known as Baines’ Baobabs or the Sleeping sisters. This stunted cluster of Africa’s most iconic tree was immortalized by the paintings of Thomas Baines, a British landscape artist commissioned by the Royal Geographic Society” –  Discover Africa

GCWIHABA CAVES

“Certainly one of the wildest and most remote destinations in Botswana, Gcwihaba is a fascinating underground labyrinth of caverns and pits, linked passages, fantastical stalagmite and stalactite formations, and beautifully coloured flowstones that appear like waterfalls of rock” –  Botswana Tourism Board

OUTLOOK RECOMMENDS

Ranked fourth in the country,  Botswana International University of Science and Technology  (BIUST) specialises in engineering, science and technology. It occupies an ecologically diverse 2,500-hectare site near Palapye. It boasts well-equipped faculty buildings, modern halls of residence and sports facilities, including a football pitch and gymnasium. BUIST is driven by a mission to contribute to Botswana’s economic development by using education to facilitate a move towards a knowledge-based economy. It aims to conduct pioneering and innovative research, and hopes to attract more local and international researchers in the future.

University of Botswana

Imperial School of Business and Finance

New Era College

Ta Shebube   consists of two lodges located in the undiscovered Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park. Take a safari between the encampments, traversing vast savannahs and red-gold dunes. Look out for herds of oryx and wildebeest, as well as predators like the black maned lion. Spend your evenings in comfort, watching dramatic sunsets give way to starry skies. The Rooiputs camp consists of luxurious thatched chalets with ensuite bathrooms. There’s a spacious bar and dining area. Polentswa may look like a camp from a bygone era, but it has all the mod cons. Each private tent has an ensuite, a private veranda and an outdoor shower.

Deception Valley Lodge

Planet Baobab

Air Botswana

Blue Sky Airways

South African Airways

Air Namibia

EAT & DRINK :

The Courtyard Restaurant @ Botswanacraft

Caravela Restaurant

Bull & Bush Pub

Dusty Donkey Café

Machaba Safaris  has three safari camps located in Botswana. One of them, Machaba Camp, won the 2019 World Luxury Hotel Awards for the best luxury tented safari camp. With its lavish tented accommodation, private swimming pool and onsite spa therapist, it’s easy to see why. But these luxurious camps also offer a world-class safari experience. You’ll be taken on morning and afternoon game drives, nature walks and trips in dugout canoes. You can take a self-drive safari between the camps, while the Machaba Blue Safari couples a Botswanan safari with a seven-night trip to the Seychelles.

Kalahari Safari

Chobe Boat Cruises

Tawana Self Drive

GETTING THERE AND AROUND

There are few direct flights to Botswana outside South Africa. Most international visitors will have a stopover at Johannesburg Airport or Windhoek Airport in Namibia. Botswana’s main airport is Sir Seretse Khama International Airport, located 11 kilometres from the capital, Gabarone.  

Botswana has invested heavily in transport infrastructure, making it possible to explore the country using various modes of transport. The national air carrier, Air Botswana, flies between the four largest towns: Gabarone, Francistown, Maun and Kasana. Charter flights operate out of Maun and Kasane, taking passengers to safari lodges and camps located in the Kgalagadi Desert and the Chobe River. These are often organised by tour operators.

Tourists can also travel the country by rail or road. A railway runs from Lobatse to Francistown, passing through several towns including Gabarone. There is one service a day from each station, which departs in the evening and arrives the next morning.

A variety of buses connect Botswana’s main towns. They are an inexpensive way to travel, often used by locals. Taxis and minibuses are the best way to travel within towns and villages. Self-driving is also popular in Botswana. The roads are in relatively good condition, although you’ll want a 4×4 if you’re planning to visit more remote locations.

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