Africa-Press – Botswana. The Meetings Incentives Conference and Exhibitions (MICE) strategy is key to ramping the country’s tourism sector recovery path.
The Minister of Environment and Tourism, Ms Philda Kereng, said this, regarding strategies to revive the sector, which was one of those affected by the global travel ban during the COVID 19 pandemic.
She said the Botswana Tourism Organisation (BTO) had launched several initiatives to boost the tourism industry’s recovery, among them the MICE intervention, which aimed to increase the country’s competitiveness in the region and achieve tourism hub status.
“The MICE Strategy is designed to add value to the local tourism product by capitalising on Botswana’s inherent strengths and excellent geo-strategic position whilst further consolidating its image as a quality wildlife and wilderness destination,” she explained.
She described it as a calculated move in the country’s aspiration to transition into an upper-middle income economy by 2036. To support the strategy, she said, BTO had come up with an initiative to provide targeted service excellence training to different stakeholders in areas such as transport operators, selected accommodation facilities, selected tour operators and restaurants.
Ms Kereng said the hosting of events creates a value chain beneficiation for host communities and suppliers.
She pointed out that more advocacy was being done towards ensuring that destination management companies were facilitated to take up the role in coordinating tourism services during events. She pointed out that another initiative for the industry was resuscitation of the Bojanala Tourism Cluster in Ngamiland which was put on hold in 2020 due to COVID-19, and whose aim was to implement projects and activities that were agreed upon with the private sector to improve the competitiveness of the Ngamiland tourism.
Ms Kereng said the BTO had facilitated investment opportunities reserved for citizen-owned companies, Joint Venture Partnerships (JVPs) and consortia, adding that a tender process was ongoing for allocation of 18 sites at Letsibogo, Shashe and Thune Dam and another tender had been awarded for the construction of the Khawa Campsite ablution block in Khawa. She said the project for the designs of Phuduhudu Cultural Village had also been awarded with completion expected in May, while a consultant had been appointed for the design and supervision of construction of the Khuis Tourism Park Gatehouse.
She explained that the BTO focused on resuscitating immediate impact generating activities such as Khawa Dune Challenge, Toyota Desert Race and Makgadikgadi Epic among others to promote product mix, increase domestic and regional travel, and ensure value chain development.
“These events are regarded as signature events to Destination Botswana and ensure all year round travel within the destination,” she said.
Ms Kereng disclosed that the BTO had intensified destination marketing efforts for local and international markets by participating at travel trade fairs.
Tourism is one of the sectors earmarked by the government for the diversification of the economy and reduction of reliance on mineral resources.
DAILYNEWS
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