Economic Recovery and Strategic Transformation Planning for Tourism in Botswana

(Nee Nthoi), Olivia Molefe

Tourism remains one of Botswana’s most important services industry responsible for export and vital for employment and poverty reduction. Tourism in Botswana is currently highly based around the country’s natural resources although it stands as having the potential to grow beyond this by diversification facilitated for by Tourism product development. The success of this industry in Botswana can be attributed to the low volume, high value, nature-based tourism in national parks and game reserves taking place mostly in the north of this country Globally Tourism development is increasingly being viewed as an important tool for promoting economic growth and alleviating poverty amongst others. While Tourism is a multi-sector industry, it is not an industry that is immune to rapid decline due to the effects of global pandemics and other events. In the year 2020 this is proving to be true in the case of not only Botswana’s economic development and progression, but the Covid 19 pandemic is negatively affecting global tourism to date. This paper addresses strategic interventions to be explored through tourism education for the revival and recovery of Tourism in Botswana.