Botswana 'made P207m' from MICE strategy, BTO says
Lewanika Timothy | Monday February 17, 2025 11:34
Under the past administration, government initiated a MICE strategy seeking to position the country as a premier destination for international meetings and conferences. Conservative estimates indicate that hundreds of millions of pula were spent on events such as Forbes Under 30 Africa summits, the US Africa Business Summit and numerous others.
Speaking during a budget review hosted by First National Bank Botswana (FNBB), BTO Business Development Officer, Lopang Shato, said the country made P207 million coupled with a 59% increase in local conferencing capacity in the country.
“The global MICE strategy is capped at $658 billion with Botswana locally having made P207 million generated from its MICE strategy between 2021–2024 and a 59% increase in the capacity of local conferencing,” he said.
Observers have said the phrase “made” does not explain the costs government and its related departments ploughed into hosting the events. The phrase also does not clarify how values from the MICE strategy were distributed in the local economy.
In previous years government revealed that it planned to spend P25 million for the hosting of the 2022 Forbes Under 30 Summit which returned to the country in April 2023.
Responding to a different question in Parliament, former Foreign Affairs minister, Lemogang Kwape said the country made P25.4 million from hosting the US-Africa Business Summit in 2023, but his answer still lacked disclosure on total costs incurred by government.
“According to BITC, the total gains emanating from hosting the US-Africa Business Summit total P25,400,000,” Dr Kwape said.
He said that government had budgeted P8 million, towards hosting this crucial economy-catalysing event. However, “the amount expended exceeded this figure and the Ministry of Trade and Industry is still in the process of reconciling the total amount in this regard”.
Meanwhile, BTO officials have revealed that the organisation has curated a MICE strategy for the tourism industry which has been submitted to Cabinet. The strategy seeks to further tackle opportunities in the MICE proposition.
BTO officials said there are plans to develop an 18-hectare precinct in Block 7 which will have a five-star hotel with a 300-bed capacity alongside a three-star hotel with the same capacity. Also planned is a diamond museum and conference centre. Ends...