Gov't moves to overhaul tourism act
Lewanika Timothy | Tuesday June 30, 2026 12:46
The review follows the adoption of the National Tourism Policy in 2021 and the subsequent development of the country's 10-year National Tourism Strategy and Master Plan (NTSMP), which sets out a roadmap for sustainable tourism growth and increased private sector participation. Minister of Environment and Tourism, Wynter Mmolotsi, explained that the reform process marked a significant milestone in government's efforts to transform the tourism industry into a more competitive and inclusive sector. 'The review reflects government's commitment to creating a modern, responsive and enabling legal framework for tourism development,' Mmolotsi said during a stakeholder consultation on the review of the Tourism Act held in Gaborone recently.
According to the minister, the strategy is anchored on creating an enabling business environment, strengthening destination marketing and branding, and improving infrastructure and support services. Crucially, the NTSMP identified the need to harmonise tourism-related legislation to create a more coherent and investment-friendly regulatory framework. The review of the Tourism Act is expected to serve as the first phase of broader legislative reforms affecting several sectors linked to tourism.
The planned reforms are expected to trigger reviews of legislation governing institutions and sectors including the Botswana Tourism Organisation, wildlife conservation, national museums, forestry management, civil aviation, road transport permits and immigration. 'The rationale behind the review is grounded in government's prioritisation of tourism as a key economic growth sector that can contribute significantly to economic diversification and employment creation,' Mmolotsi added. For investors and tourism operators, the review is expected to deliver a more enabling operating environment by reducing regulatory bottlenecks, promoting innovation and improving the overall ease of doing business in the sector. While acknowledging that the current Act has provided the legal foundation for Botswana's tourism industry for more than 15 years, Mmolotsi said evolving global tourism trends, changing consumer preferences and emerging market challenges now require a more modern and competitive legislative framework.
The review comes as government seeks to elevate tourism's contribution to the economy under the Botswana Economic Transformation Programme and National Development Plan 12, both of which identify tourism as a strategic sector capable of driving growth beyond mining. A key objective of the reforms will be to broaden participation in the tourism economy by increasing citizen ownership and strengthening partnerships between local communities and private investors. Government is also seeking to diversify Botswana's tourism offering beyond its traditional high-end safari market by promoting investment in cultural tourism, heritage tourism, ecotourism and community-based tourism enterprises.
Industry stakeholders have long argued that regulatory fragmentation, licensing requirements and limited product diversification have constrained the sector's growth potential, despite Botswana's globally recognised tourism assets. Mmolotsi said nationwide stakeholder consultations would be undertaken before a revised Tourism Bill is finalised and presented to Parliament, stressing that broad industry participation would be critical in shaping a legal framework capable of supporting the next phase of growth in Botswana's tourism sector.