Bill tabled to establish Botswana tourism board

A BILL to establish a tourism board to take over marketing and promoting the industry in Botswana is currently before the Parliamentary Committee on Foreign Affairs, Trade and Security. This was announced by the Minister of Trade, Industry, Wildlife and Tourism, Pelonomi Venson, at a Hotel and Tourism Association of Botswana (Hatab) meeting held at Maun over the weekend. She emphasised the importance of industry stakeholders such as Hatab and the Ministry working with the new board to successfully sell the country and "move the industry forward". She reiterated that government attached great importance to the tourism industry, viewing it as the new "engine of growth". Hatab chairman, Godfrey Kupe, said he believed tourism would help diversify the economy. He believes that by 2016, the industry will be one of the backbones of Botswana's economy. The establishment of a tourism board would go a long way to boosting the tourism industry, he said. (Adéle Mackenzie)