Africa-Press – Botswana. Kgosi Khama IV of Bangwato has implored residents of Nata and surrounding areas to take advantage of their geographical location of being surrounded by Makgadikgadi Pans to set up tourist attraction spots.
Addressing a kgotla meeting in Nata recently, Kgosi Khama IV said setting up tourist attraction spots alongside camp sites would help to draw visitors to their area. He said the Makgadikgadi Pans had so much to offer, which tourists could come and see before proceeding to the Okavango Delta.
He suggested that they set up safari camps within the pans with access roads as well as signage for easy location, adding that the community could place people who could share knowledge on the Pans at these camps.
As part of his commitment to assisting them, he stated, that he had began discussions with their Member of Parliament, Mr Lawrence Ookeditse as well as the two MPs for Boteti East and West.
He said together they would be able to pool resources which would enable them to bring developments needed to achieve the intended goal of making the area a tourism destination of choice. Furthermore, Kgosi Khama IV talked about introducing a directory listing all campsites, hotels, restaurants and entertainment spots in the area.
“All these need collective efforts to be achieved,” he emphasised
In addition, he said the recent Makgadikgadi Horse Race was one of the initiatives which helped to attract people to the area. He added that there was need for more popular activities among international tourists including cultural ones.
For his part MP Ookeditse, who is also Assistant Minister of Health, appreciated Kgosi Khama IV for the initiatives he implemented for the people of Gammangwato. He said they would not only benefit the seven districts that make up Gammangwato but Batswana and the economy as whole.
He said in their constituency they were planning on hosting an activitity every three months on rotational arrangement, noting the recent horse race in Nata. He revealed that plans were underway for a cultural festival to be hosted in Gweta.
He explained that they wanted to revive culture and self reliance spirit that would help to uplift livelihoods through revenue-earning initiatives.
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