The Africa Youth Games did wonders for Botswana

Thuso Palai | Monday June 9, 2014 18:06

 

 

It goes without saying, and those who have travelled a bit will appreciate that Botswana still has a lot to do to get the world to know about its existence and what it is all about. Such events do help to remedy that.  Almost all the people who visited Botswana for the Games were happy with the reception and that is the greatest achievement. They interacted with the country and its people. 

They all went to their countries of origin with a lot of positives about Botswana and that was the greatest achievement. They will most certainly spread the word, and that can only augur well for our international awareness and standing.

We are a nation that prides itself on BOTHO, and this reverberated throughout the Games. The warmth, humility, helpfulness and welcoming nature of Batswana was there for all to see.

For two weeks we pulled together in the same direction for a common cause, and the results are there for all to see.

The 2nd Africa Youth Games presented an opportunity for Botswana to shine and the opportunity was grabbed with both hands.

Hosting major international events attracts attention. I therefore commend all who played a role in the Games, the private sector and all Batswana for supporting the Games, as they have proved invaluable in terms of getting the world to know and talk about Botswana. 

The delegates will have a long lasting memory of Botswana and will always have a story to tell about the country. The resources put into were worthwhile and this was a great investment.

The Games created an everlasting experience for the visitors. On top of successfully hosting the Games, the greatest achievement was that Botswana was in the media space for a whole two weeks in well over 54 countries, in Africa and around the world. Many people now know about Botswana and many more will get to know about Botswana through the mouths of the many who visited the country for the Games. It has been reported that well over 150 Million people around the world watched the official opening ceremony.

 I can only imagine how many of those actually knew about Botswana before the Games. The Games marketed and promoted Botswana and what Botswana is all about. On any day, the Games were beamed to many countries with a viewership over a million people. Even if those who watched are not potential investors or tourists, they at least now know about Botswana.

A substantial amount of money was spent on the Games and there were murmurs of discontent from certain quarters that it was money down the drain. On the contrary, it was money well spent and the benefits far outweigh the costs. The Return on Investment cannot be quantified at the moment, but will certainly be felt for a long time to come.