As Botswana Government convenes a two-day tourism stakeholder engagement (Pitso) workshop this Thursday and Friday, expectations across the tourism value chain are high. The forum comes at a critical moment for the Botswana’s economy as declining diamond revenues continue to expose the country’s vulnerability to overreliance on a single commodity. Stakeholders view this Pitso as an opportunity to reposition tourism as a leading alternative sector capable of revitalising economic growth, employment creation, and foreign exchange earnings.
Foremost among stakeholder expectations is a clear and shared vision for tourism’s role in economic diversification. Industry players anticipate robust discussions on how tourism can meaningfully contribute to national development beyond its current performance. This includes expanding tourism’s contribution to GDP, increasing citizen participation, supporting rural livelihoods, and strengthening linkages with other sectors such as agriculture, creative industries, transport, and conservation. Stakeholders expect government to articulate concrete strategies, timelines, and policy alignment that elevate tourism to a strategic economic pillar rather than a supplementary sector.
Consultation and inclusivity are also central to stakeholder expectations. While many in the industry acknowledge that the recent introduction of new tourism fees by government was long overdue, there is a strong sentiment that the process would have benefited from broader and earlier consultation. Stakeholders hope the Pitso will open honest dialogue on policy formulation, ensuring that future interventions are informed by on-the-ground realities, market conditions, and operational challenges faced by tourism operators.
Another key expectation relates to the structure and targeting of tourism fees and levies. Stakeholders argue that while revenue mobilisation is necessary, a blanket approach across all tourism segments risks unintended consequences. Different tourism products operate under vastly different cost structures and market sensitivities. High-end lodges, community-based tourism initiatives, mobile safari operators, cultural villages, tour guides, and small guesthouses do not share the same financial resilience. Stakeholders therefore expect discussions around differentiated, targeted, and fair fee systems that recognise these variations and avoid stifling growth in emerging or fragile sub-sectors.
Small-scale tourism operators are particularly concerned about the impact of increased fees. Many operate on thin margins, face limited access to finance, and are still recovering from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Stakeholders expect the Pitso to acknowledge that small and medium tourism enterprises (SMEs) will feel the highest pinch from across-the-board cost increases. They hope for policy measures that protect and nurture citizen-owned businesses, including phased implementation of fees, exemptions, incentives, or support mechanisms.
Finally, stakeholders expect the Pitso to move beyond dialogue and deliver actionable outcomes. Clear commitments, follow-up mechanisms, and continued engagement will be critical to building trust between government and the private sector. If successful, this Pitso can mark a turning point, one where tourism is not only discussed as an alternative sector but deliberately positioned as a driver of Botswana’s economic resilience in a post-diamond era.
