Border vaccine rules cripple tourism – HATAB

Hospitality and Tourism Association of Botswana HATAB CEO, Lily Rakorong PIC: THALEFANG CHARLES
Hospitality and Tourism Association of Botswana HATAB CEO, Lily Rakorong PIC: THALEFANG CHARLES

The new border entry rules requiring all arrivals to prove full COVID-19 vaccinations have set back the tourism industry’s recovery, sending tourists and their spending power to rivals in the region, the Hospitality and Tourism Association of Botswana (HATAB) has said.

According to HATAB chief executive officer (CEO), Lily Rakorong, a recent survey amongst the organisation’s members found that between February 14 when the new rules were introduced, and February 22, bookings worth P109 million were cancelled.

The majority of these bookings were made in 2020 when the local tourism industry pleaded with tourists to “postpone and not cancel” their planned trips to Botswana, after the onset of the pandemic.

Editor's Comment
Inspect the voters' roll!

The recent disclosure by the IEC that 2,513 registrations have been turned down due to various irregularities should prompt all Batswana to meticulously review the voters' rolls and address concerns about rejected registrations.The disparities flagged by the IEC are troubling and emphasise the significance of rigorous voter registration processes.Out of the rejected registrations, 29 individuals were disqualified due to non-existent Omang...

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