Debunking the myths of Botswana's tourism boycott
Friday, April 05, 2019
A common approach is to threaten Botswana with a tourism boycott. They are saying the 2.5 million of foreign tourists visiting Botswana to photograph elephants are contributing massively to the country’s 11.5% tourism gross domestic product (GDP) and creating 76, 000 jobs.
The implication is that these millions of people will refuse to visit Botswana if the hunting ban is lifted. The latest threat is based on a poll commissioned by Humane Society International in the US on people’s perception about the lifting of the hunting ban. Many articles headlined “Botswana risks losing US tourists on lifting the hunting ban” are appearing in the media.
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...