Mokaila laments little progress in tourism joint ventures

GOITSEONE KGOPANA
Correspondent | Wednesday July 15, 2009 00:00

This years' conference was held under the theme Tourism: Responding to Challenges in the Global Market. The annual tourism pitso is the initiative of Minister Mokaila that began in 2006 to create a forum for the ministry, the private sector and other key stakeholders to discuss key issues affecting tourism.

'When the economic downturn hit the mining industry, tourism had to measure up to the bar and help sustain the country's economy,' the minister said. 'If ever there was a time to put a spotlight on Botswana's tourism, its meaningful contribution and the need to expedite the development of opportunities previously overlooked but inline with our sustainable tourism policies and strategies, it is now.'

Mokaila said tourism was also affected by the outbreak of the A (H1N1) swine flu virus, though this was more the case in Europe and the Americas than in Botswana.

He thanked tour operators for tapping into their creative management skills to save jobs and ensure the industry's survival.

He said the ministry had maintained regular contact with key stakeholders during the year; this was now yielding results in line with the governments' diversification strategies.

The ministry also handed over the Tourism Land Bank to the Botswana Tourism Board (BTB) during the past year. It is also revisiting the Community Based Natural Resources Management to ensure workable implementation.

However, Mokaila said he was disappointed by slow progress in the development of joint-venture partners in the tourism industry. 'Eighteen years down the line, our communities do not show any visual benefit or upliftment,' he said. 'In a lot of cases, poverty still prevails - a sad situation indeed if you look at the proceeds from hunting quotas my ministry has annually extended over those years.'

He was rather reticent about the 25-kilometre buffer zone between national parks and game reserves.

'I sincerely hope for and advice closure to the continued dialogue on this matter so that we can all focus our resources on the development of our core tourism priorities,' he said.

An interesting discussion took place around the congestion of the Chobe riverfront.

The Director of the Department of Wildlife and Parks, Trevor Mmolelwa, said proposed solutions included three game viewing routes in one direction, implementation of a new fee structure, one way boat routes, construction of waterholes, directional signs and discipline during game viewing.