The ministry of environment and tourism has set the wheels in motion to overhaul the nation’s aging legislative framework, with a long-awaited review of the Tourism Act of 2009 now underway.
Minister of Environment and Tourism Wynter Mmolotsi announced at the Hospitality and Tourism Association of Botswana (HATAB) Annual Conference this week that a new Tourism Act Bill is slated for presentation to Parliament in November 2026. The move addresses years of persistent calls from industry stakeholders who argued that the existing 17-year-old law has become an obstacle to modern growth.
According to Mmolotsi, the government has formally approved the review process, with nationwide consultations scheduled to begin in May 2026. These sessions will specifically include targeted engagements with HATAB members to ensure private sector concerns are integrated into the new legal structure.
“Once passed, there will be consequential reviews of other tourism laws to align them with the new Act, because it is the main legislative framework for our sector,” Mmolotsi explained.
The Minister candidly acknowledged that the current legal environment has stifled the industry’s potential. He admitted that for too long, the sector’s ability to “act boldly” has been hampered by the restrictive and outdated provisions of the 2009 Act. The legislative refresh is viewed as a primary tool to unlock new opportunities and resolve systemic challenges that have acted as an impediment to expansion.
While the legislative path is being paved, the Minister highlighted that some immediate relief is being felt in the areas of lease renewals and the maintenance of assets within protected areas. Following Cabinet directives issued last year, Mmolotsi noted that while the pace of lease renewals “is not yet where it needs to be,” measurable progress is finally being recorded.
Beyond the legal overhaul, the Ministry is moving to resolve the sector’s historical “data deficit.” Mmolotsi revealed that the Department of Tourism has modernized its information systems to ensure that future policy and investment decisions are backed by reliable, real-time evidence.
A key component of this digital strategy is the upgraded Tourism Statistics System, known as T-Stats. Now reintroduced as the central platform for data collection, the system offers deeper insights into visitor arrivals, accommodation performance, levy collections, and licensing. This is complemented by the new T-Stats Mobile App, designed to simplify data submission for operators.
In a further push for transparency, the Ministry launched the Tourism Dashboard in Gaborone on 14 April 2026. This unified platform consolidates previously fragmented datasets, allowing for more rigorous evidence-based decision-making.
Looking ahead to July, the Ministry will launch the Tourism Satellite Account. Mmolotsi emphasized that this will provide, for the first time, a comprehensive and internationally aligned picture of tourism’s true economic impact, including a detailed analysis of the sector’s performance during the volatile COVID-19 period from 2020 to 2024.
The Ministry’s modernization drive also extends to the visitor experience. Supported by the UNDP–BIOFIN Programme, a new online booking and payment system is currently in the prototype stage. Once fully operational, the system is expected to eliminate revenue leakages and reduce cash handling at protected area gates, enhancing both accountability and the visitor experience.
Responding to these developments, HATAB Chairperson Lawrence Lecha reaffirmed the association’s role as the government’s primary partner in policy formation. Lecha pledged a relationship defined by transparency and dialogue, specifically regarding sensitive issues such as land concessions and tourism levies.
He concluded with a firm reminder to the state, urging government partners to ensure that the private sector’s perspectives are fully integrated into every stage of the law-making process.
