The initiative was set up with the objective of attracting, retaining and expanding air connectivity to the country and to promote increased air connectivity to Botswana by securing air route retention, expansions, and introductions through strategic engagements with domestic, regional and international carriers. Officials said last week that the project is already delivering measurable results, strengthening the country's international aviation network and enhancing its position as a regional tourism and business destination. Assistant Minister of Transport and Communications, Keoagike Atamelang, highlighted the significant progress made since its launch in August 2024.
He noted that it has played a crucial role in supporting airlines through the provision of market intelligence, passenger and cargo data, coordinated stakeholder support, route marketing assistance, and a single point of contact for engagement with the country. "The tangible outcomes achieved thus far demonstrate that the initiative is successfully converting strategic engagements into new and expanded air services," Atamelang said, when speaking at the recent AviaDev Africa 2026 conference in Gaborone. Some of the achievements are the facilitation of the introduction of several new international routes to the region and the continent hence promoting travel and tourism. In April 2025, Airlink launched a three-times-weekly service connecting Cape Town and Gaborone, strengthening links between Botswana and one of Southern Africa's key tourism and business gateways.
