Lessons from KwaZulu-Natal for Botswana’s tourism future :: Mmegi Online

If there's one thing that KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) South Africa taught me, it’s that tourism is not just about destinations; it’s about stories. Real narratives that make people feel. SHARON MATHALA* argues that the next chapter of Botswana’s tourism industry must go beyond the elephants and the Delta, to people, our language, our songs, our food but most importantly our rich history

As I watched KZN confidently sell its story, I found myself reflecting deeply not just on the experiences I was having, but on what Botswana could be if we embraced tourism the way South Africa has, especially in provinces like KwaZulu-Natal.

“Come Find Your Joy” is the tagline South African Tourism uses and after spending a few days in KZN, I couldn’t find a more fitting phrase. Joy was not only found in the high adrenaline experiences like shark cage diving or flying over the Indian Ocean on a microflight, joy was present in the Zulu stories told with pride, in the cuisine and in how seamlessly the past and present come together to welcome visitors.

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