Historic sites can boost tourism-expert

Chakalisa Dube | Thursday May 7, 2015 15:13

According to Head of Regional Office for Africa at the Centre for the Development of Enterprise (CDE), Dr Sid Boubekeur, the private sector both locally and internationally can seize the opportunity by engaging in partnerships with trusts that own historic sites around the country.

He was speaking in an interview with Mmegi Business on the sidelines of the Hospitality and Tourism Association of Botswana (HATAB) conference in Kasane recently.

“Historical sites are mostly owned by Trust organisations with limited participation of the private sector and at times this has led to their failure to reach their full potential.

“Financial improvement as well as efficiency of historical sites can mostly be achieved through private sector partnerships.

“Most historical sites in the country have potential, but they need a facelift and to be run effeciently in order to reach their full potential, ” he explained. The Botswana tourism is traditionally more reliant on flora and fauna and for it to be diversified there is a need for the private sector to participate in the diversification drive through investing in other areas of tourism such as historic sites, added Boubekeur.The expert further said that there is a potential market for Botswana historical sites in Europe. At the conference, Boubekeur gave Tsodilo Hills as an example of a site that could be turned into a very lucrative venture for partnership with the private sector. He said facilities such as entrance area, museum, souvenir shop needed to be improved in order to attract tourists. He also noted that in order for Tsodilo Hills to attract tourists it has to have lodges with small restaurants or bistro facilities.Boubekeur noted that there is need to design and build new accessible paths such as the construction of  wooden bridges in order to avoid any environmental influence on the current character of the Tsodilo Hills.Tourism is the second biggest revenue generator in the country after diamonds. The sector employs over 30,000 people and mostly Batswana.