The ROI of hosting the Debswana World Athletics Relays
Thuso Palai | Wednesday May 20, 2026 10:03
For me, this was money well spent when one considers the broader Return on Investment (ROI) for the country.
Short-Tetm / Immediate Benefits
1. Botswana Brand Awareness Creation Botswana remains a relatively lesser-known destination globally. Hosting a world-class athletics event placed the country firmly on the international map. The exposure generated through global broadcasts and media coverage was far more impactful than conventional advertising campaigns. With over 100 million viewers worldwide, Botswana received unprecedented visibility as a modern, capable and welcoming destination. This was more powerful that any advert, on any platform.
2. Promotion of Botswana’s Natural Diamonds The event also elevated awareness around Botswana’s natural diamonds. Millions across the world now associate Botswana with some of the world’s best-value and ethically sourced diamonds. Increased curiosity about Botswana and its diamond industry will naturally drive more global interest, online engagement and potentially more sales.
3. Promotion of Botswana Culture and Identity Through the event, Botswana had an opportunity to showcase its culture, heritage and identity to the world. Visitors and viewers experienced Botswana hospitality, our Botho, our local cuisine, music, dance, fashion and personalities. It was a celebration of “Ngwao” and an opportunity for Botswana to tell its own story authentically. At some point I remember signing ATI’s Khiring Khiring Khorong Khrong and Dr. Vom’s Tsaya Thobane with atheletes from Switzerland. It was mad fun. They experienced Botswana, and they will forever cherish those memories.
4. Infrastructure Development and Refurbishment Major sporting events across the world often trigger infrastructure upgrades, and Botswana was no exception. The relays accelerated refurbishment and maintenance works on sporting facilities and related infrastructure at the National Stadium and UB stadium, including stadium improvements and road maintenance in the city. These upgrades leave a lasting benefit for citizens and future events.
5. Local Economic Stimulation The event stimulated multiple sectors of the economy: * Hospitality and accommodation * Transport and aviation * Catering and food services * Audio visual and technical production * Merchandise and memorabilia * Creative industries * Informal trading For the week and a half, businesses across different sectors benefited directly from increased activity and spending.
6. Informal Sector Participation Beyond established businesses, the informal sector also benefited significantly. Street vendors selling food, drinks, umbrellas, flags and offering services such as face painting were able to generate income during the event period. For many, this created an important short-term economic opportunity. In the stand where I was sitting the gentleman who was selling umbrellas sold over 100 Umbrellas in 1 hour, at P60.00 a pop, meaning he made a cool P6 000.00.
7. Nation Building and Unity Sport once again demonstrated its power to unite people. Batswana from different backgrounds came together behind a common national cause. The atmosphere created a sense of pride, belonging and patriotism. We took off our tribal, political, status colours and we were one. We all sang and danced to ‘Tsaya Thobane’’
8. Skills Transfer and Capacity Building The event created valuable learning opportunities for local professionals and volunteers. Through volunteer programmes, technical operations and media academy initiatives, locals gained hands-on experience in hosting a global sporting event of this magnitude. These skills and networks will remain valuable long after the event.
9. Enhanced International Credibility Botswana’s successful hosting enhanced the country’s credibility internationally. Delivering a world-class event strengthens confidence in Botswana’s ability to host future international conferences, tournaments and major events. This improves the country’s competitiveness when bidding for future opportunities. Now lets bid for Afcon and other major sports events., we showed the world that we are capable.
10. Promotion of Athletics Development Young people witnessed elite athletes competing on home soil and many will now aspire to follow in their footsteps. Seeing athletes such as Letsile Tebogo, Collen Kebinatshipi and other stars perform in Botswana can inspire a new generation of athletes and increase participation in sport.
11. Long-Term Legacy The event leaves behind more than memories: * Refurbished sporting facilities * Improved technical expertise * Enhanced event-hosting capabilities * Better trained media practitioners * Athlete development opportunities * Increased confidence among local organisers These are long-term national assets that will continue benefiting Botswana well into the future.
Lag/Long-Term Benefits and Opportunities 1. Increased Tourism Potential Greater global awareness of Botswana can translate into future tourism growth. Many people who discovered Botswana through the relays may now explore the country’s tourism offering — wildlife, culture, luxury safari experiences and natural beauty — when considering future travel destinations.
2. Increased Investment Interest International exposure also creates interest in investment opportunities. Business leaders, investors and global audiences who witnessed Botswana’s stability, organisation and hospitality may now view the country more favourably as an investment destination.
The event showcased Botswana as peaceful, modern and open for business. Such soft power and visibility can influence future investment decisions in ways that are difficult to quantify immediately, but highly valuable over time.
These benefits are not exhaustive, but collectively they demonstrate that the ROI of hosting the relays goes far beyond immediate revenue generation. The value lies in nation branding, economic stimulation, skills development, infrastructure improvement, social cohesion and future opportunities for tourism and investment.
Data points that further help to measure ROI To properly assess the impact of the event, relevant stakeholders collect and analyse data such as: * Hotel and lodge occupancy rates * International visitor arrivals * Tourism spending patterns * Food and beverage sales * Public transport usage * Airline traffic statistics * Informal sector earnings * Media reach and advertising value equivalency * Social media engagement and digital impressions
*Palai is the Botswana Investment and Trade Centre’s Director Brand Management