Botswana Air Access initiative bears fruits
staff writer | Tuesday June 16, 2026 10:41
The initiative was set up with the objective of attracting, retaining and expanding air connectivity to the country and to promote increased air connectivity to Botswana by securing air route retention, expansions, and introductions through strategic engagements with domestic, regional and international carriers. Officials said last week that the project is already delivering measurable results, strengthening the country's international aviation network and enhancing its position as a regional tourism and business destination. Assistant Minister of Transport and Communications, Keoagike Atamelang, highlighted the significant progress made since its launch in August 2024.
He noted that it has played a crucial role in supporting airlines through the provision of market intelligence, passenger and cargo data, coordinated stakeholder support, route marketing assistance, and a single point of contact for engagement with the country. 'The tangible outcomes achieved thus far demonstrate that the initiative is successfully converting strategic engagements into new and expanded air services,' Atamelang said, when speaking at the recent AviaDev Africa 2026 conference in Gaborone. Some of the achievements are the facilitation of the introduction of several new international routes to the region and the continent hence promoting travel and tourism. In April 2025, Airlink launched a three-times-weekly service connecting Cape Town and Gaborone, strengthening links between Botswana and one of Southern Africa's key tourism and business gateways.
In November 2025, South African Airways introduced a route between Gaborone and Johannesburg, improving connectivity on Botswana's busiest regional corridor. Further expanding Botswana's international reach, Ethiopian Airlines launched a service connecting Maun to Addis Ababa, providing direct access between the Okavango Delta and one of Africa's leading aviation hubs.
More recently, on May 1, 2026, Proflight Zambia introduced a Lusaka-Livingstone-Maun service, making it easier for tourists to combine visits to Botswana and Zambia within a single itinerary while supporting regional tourism flows. Atamelang added that the initiative continues to engage both existing and prospective airlines from Africa, Europe, North America, and Asia in an effort to further strengthen Botswana's global connectivity. The impact of these efforts is reflected in the country's growing international seat capacity. According to projections, Botswana's international seat capacity is expected to increase from approximately 390,000 seats in 2023 to more than 607,000 seats by 2026. This represents an increase of 218,000 seats and a growth rate of 56%.
Meanwhile, the Assistant Minister noted that hosting AviaDev Africa 2026 has provided Botswana with an important platform to build on this momentum. As host of the continent's premier aviation route development forum, Gaborone welcomed airlines, airports, investors, tourism authorities, and destination partners from across the globe. Atamelang said delegates were exposed to the country's investment and tourism opportunities, including a VIP tour of the Okavango Delta, one of Botswana's most iconic attractions. 'These experiences underscore an important reality that successful route development depends not only on data and commercial viability, but also on confidence in the destination itself,' he added. Launched by the Civil Aviation Authority of Botswana in August 2024, Botswana Air Access is a collaborative public-private sector initiative aimed at improving the country's air connectivity. The programme has brought together key stakeholders, including the Botswana Tourism Organisation, Botswana Investment and Trade Centre, Business Botswana, the Travel Agents' Association of Botswana, the Hospitality and Tourism Association of Botswana, and Air Botswana.