Gaborone tourism can benefit from Xiamen
Tsaone Basimanebotlhe | Monday October 27, 2025 11:47
In an interview with Mmegi this week, she said Xiamen is a model city that has successfully developed sustainable and well-designed urban spaces, blending modern infrastructure with cultural heritage.Gaborone City launched a tourism Initiative recently, to 'ignite' city tourism and create new opportunities for collaboration and growth within the industry.
The initiative seeks to elevate Gaborone's status as a top travel destination. This seminar on Civilisation Exchange and Mutual Learning for Professionals from Belt and Road countries comes at the right time, where we needed it most,” she said.
Furthermore, she said some of the key areas they will look into are tourism Infrastructure, which includes developing modern and efficient tourism infrastructure, such as transportation systems, visitor centres and developing walking trails, promote sustainable tourism; implement environmentally friendly practices such as waste management and eco-tourism initiatives, and the Local market: Vibrant market selling traditional crafts, clothing, and souvenirs.
In addition, Rakorong emphasised that Gaborone could learn from Xiamen’s efforts in integrating key cultural and historical landmarks such as museums, Gaborone dam, and other cultural institutions, to enhance visitor engagement and cultural preservation. According to Rakorong, Botswana could benefit a lot if it focuses on showcasing local traditions, music, and visual arts as a means to promote its rich cultural heritage.
“Engaging in cultural exchanges and building partnerships in cultural industries could not only increase international visibility for Botswana but also support local artists and creators,” she revealed.
She urged Gaborone to take a proactive approach to learning from global examples such as Xiamen by adopting practices that both respect the environment and celebrate culture.
The development of tourism in Gaborone, in Rakorong's view, should be both innovative and respectful of the city’s unique history and traditions.
Additionally, Rakorong emphasised the need to foster International cooperation; collaborate with Xiamen city to develop joint tourism products and promote mutual understanding. She said the Chinese market is emerging as a key source of international tourists for Botswana; therefore, “we need to raise more awareness about Botswana’s attractions and experiences.” Moreover, she said there is a need to enhance community engagement, such as supporting local communities and promoting community-based tourism initiatives.
However, she said their point of discussion with other countries is cultural exchange; sharing of experiences in preserving cultural heritage, promoting local traditions, and showcasing city tourism development.
She also highlighted tourism cooperation, exploring opportunities for collaboration in tourism infrastructure development, cultural tourism, and experiential travel. “Sustainable development; emphasis on environmentally friendly practices, waste management, and community-based initiatives.” However, she said key areas of interest visited include Xiamen Planning Exhibition Hall, where they showcased the city's history, urban planning, and future development, Waste Sorting Education Base, Huli District.
Xiamen's waste management practices and promoting sustainable living and Jimei Village Street and a historic street with cultural significance, showcased local architecture and traditions, and an international cooperation centre.
While on how Xiamen could learn from Botswana, Rakorong said that though they have it and define Xiamen as a green city, Botswana is far ahead in cultural preservation, and it defines itself as having rich cultural heritage, and efforts to preserve traditional practices could provide a valuable insight to Xiamen's cultural conservation.
She further said they could learn how community-based tourism operates since it is an initiative that could also model Xiamen’s tourism development.
On sustainable development, she said the balanced approach between economic development with environmental protection could also inform Xiamen’s sustainable development strategies.
Again, she revealed that Xiamen could also help in promoting wildlife conservation as the country celebrates its diverse wildlife and natural resources’ success story, and this could inspire Xiamen’s initiatives.
Similarly, she said during the programme, it was learnt that China does not only depend on foreigners as consumers of their cultural heritage products. Rather, efforts are properly made to encourage and attract the local Chinese to visit and learn on various cultural heritage attractions across the country.
“Such is also important in Botswana. The locals, especially the younger generations, need to be encouraged to visit their cultural centres, including but not limited to museums, archives, to learn more about their country’s history and culture,” she said.