Slow internet restrains competitiveness
Lekopanye Mooketsi | Monday September 1, 2014 14:01
“If we are going to have a competitive edge we have to keep our systems functional. We have tourist sites where satellite internet connectivity is faster than in Gaborone, ” Khama said when he was officiating at the Botswana Consumers Fair prize giving ceremony. “It is not good enough, we need to up our game,” he added.
Khama also spoke about the lack of internet access at airports. The minister said in order to remain relevant and competitive, Botswana should brand herself as a prestigious business tourism destination through the provisions of high quality facilities and services, which are effectively marketed to the global audience.
Regarding the Consumer Fair, he said he has learnt that it has managed to achieve a growth rate of four percent on the number of exhibitors and stall sales this year as compared to last year.
He said with 450 exhibitors who comprise of 25 local manufacturers and 24 international exhibitors, it shows that the fair is becoming an event to reckon with in the region and inter continentally.
“I therefore advise local exhibitors to take this window of opportunity to explore, discover and expand your markets through strategic partnerships with the international exhibitors here present,” he appealed.
Khama said the Consumer Fair is one of the fastest growing segments of the business tourism industry. He noted that the business and exhibition tourism sector continues to contribute to the country’s trade, marketing of Botswana’s products and services, facilitating exports and inward investment.
The minister said the Botswana Consumer Fair is undoubtedly the largest event in the country that attracts over 60,000 visitors within a seven-day period. In his view, the Fair has also become an arsenal tool to Brand Botswana. It presents opportunities for business tourists to unravel the untapped markets in the country.
He said various researches have shown that the business tourist such as the international exhibitors have higher average daily spend as high as five times more per day than the leisure tourists.
This, he said demonstrates the economic potency of the industry and contribution to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
However, Khama lamented tour operators for not marketing the country’s tourist destinations. He said every public holiday; tour operators come up with packages to tour Namibia, Mozambique and or Durban. “However, it is sad to note that there are no packages to tour the Okavango Delta, Chobe Game Reserve, Makgadikgadi Pans, Tuli Block or Tsodilo Hills.
The private sector needs to promote domestic tourism as well, instead of exporting the Pula spend of the citizens to foreign destinations. It is us the citizens who need to be at the forefront of visiting our own heritage, wildlife and cultural sites,” he appealed. He said the Botswana Tourism Organisation (BTO) has made remarkable marketing efforts to promote domestic tourism. “In 2013, BTO developed the “Explore Your Botswana Campaign” to encourage citizens and residents to consume the tourism product in various geographic areas within the country,” he said.
For his part, the chief executive officer of the Fairground Holdings - the company, which organises the Fair - Mike Montshiwa, said next year they would be celebrating the 10th anniversary of the fair.
He said they are planning a robust loyalty campaign where they will give out rewards to their exhibitors.
He revealed that last year, they managed to sell 54,000 tickets. “