BTO Invest P30m in four ventures

MONKAGEDI GAOTLHOBOGWE
Staff Writer | Tuesday March 19, 2013 00:00

Responding to The Monitor questionaire the BTO says so far they are   involved in the development of four projects in Kasane, Lepokole(Bobirwa), Goo Moremi(Tswapong), and in Tsabong(Kgalagadi) with a total investment of approximately P 30,000, 000.

According to the BTO, these entail the development and management of tourism facilities activities around Botswana that are based on photographic, adventure, and cultural tourism. This however excludes activities such as hunting.In Moremi the BTO has developed the Moremi Gorge Resort which is already operating, while three others in Kasane, Lepokole and Tsabong  are progressing very well with the Kasane Project nearing completion.

'It must be noted however that more areas in Botswana have in the past been developed by the private sector and we will see this growing more with the advent of  more areas  being made available for non consumptive tourism operations', added BTO communications and PR manager  Keitumetse Setlang.Regarding Botswana's position to ban game hunting from 2014, the BTO spokesperson said trophy hunting is a seasonal activity, meaning that its contribution to the tourism sector and hence national revenue has also been seasonal and minimal. 

In contrast photographic tourism has minimal potential for any negative impact on local wildlife populations and hence sustainable, according to the BTO. Photographic tourism is also conducted year round. 'Photographic safaris is more sustainable in the long run with the realisation that the shooting of wild game purely for sport and trophies is no longer seen to be compatible with either our national commitment to conserve and preserve local fauna or the long term growth of the local tourism industry.'

'The decision to impose this moratorium on hunting was made in the context of a growing concern about the sharp decline in the populations of most of the wildlife species that have been subject to licensed hunting. If left unchecked this decline poses a genuine threat to both the conservation of our natural heritage and the long term health of the local tourist industry which currently ranks second to diamonds in terms of its revenue earnings' 'Trophy hunting works against this intention.

Historic experience has shown that in the long term, photographic safari is more sustainable and also has increased benefits such as greater employment creation on a permanent basis. Therefore as a country we stand to benefit even more through non consumptive operations', Setlang said.