Page 15 - Meetings Botswana 2024 FINAL

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Meetings Botswana 2024
I N T R O D U C T I O N
into large numbers of people, public and private transport,
commercial activity and offices far removed from the
Gaborone metropolitan centre.”
Railway projects catered for in the proposed budget
include the procurement of Botswana Railway workshop
equipment, the construction of the Mmamabula-Lephalale
and Mosetse-Kazungula railway lines among others. These
new connections will significantly grow the rail network
into neighbouring countries and have the potential to
provide railway passenger services across into Zambia
and other SADC countries if the potential is evaluated,
says Gobusamang Keebine, former President of Business
Botswana, a private entity which advocates for policy and
regulatory matters affecting the business environment in
Botswana.
Some of the other factors necessary to position the
country as a global destination for Meetings, Incentives,
Conferences and Exhibitions will include modern and
efficient information and communication infrastructure.
The 2024/2025 development budget includes provision for
ICT projects such as Local Access Network Upgrade and
the purchasing of ICT equipment. Botswana is eager to
build the modern digital infrastructure necessary to unlock
high productivity through its National Digitalisation
Strategy (SmartBots) to fully take advantage of the digital
revolution. Recently, the country entered into an agreement
with Estonia to collaborate on the development of the
Botswana Artificial Intelligence Strategy. These efforts will
assist the country to fully embrace cutting edge technology
so that the hospitality sector may be able to attract business
and tourists into the country. Visa issuance at embassies
across the world have already been decentralised to make it
easier to travel into the country.
The country’s hospitality industry is introducing an
array of incentive packages with immersive experiences
and diverse venues offering opulent accommodation and
bigger conference facilities. As a result, more international
conferences and exhibitions are being hosted in Botswana,
says Malebogo Bahakgametse, Markerting Manager for
Peermont Global Botswana. Peermont Botswana is one
of the largest hospitality and entertainment operator
in the country, owning The Grand Palm Hotel Casino
Convention Resort, Mondior Hotel, Metcourt Lodger
and Sedibeng Casino. The company also houses one of
the most prominent conference facilities in the country;
the Gaborone International Convention Centre (GICC).
According to Bahakgametse, Peermont Botswana
collaborates with industry affiliates like the Hospitality
and Tourism Association of Botswana (HATAB) and the
Botswana Tourism Organisation to aid in their mandate
to promote the MICE market and inform policies and
incentives that encourage the hosting of international
conferences and events.
Another prominent hospitality dealer in Botswana is
Cresta Marakanelo Limited which is spread over six of the
country’s ten districts, and operates 11 Cresta Hotels with
a total of over 1000 rooms. The company organises an
annual MD’s Roadshow in Johannesburg and Cape Town
in South Africa to engage with and appraise the business
community on their unique position within the MICE
sector. They do this from their position as the hotel chain
with the largest geographical footprint in Botswana.
Cresta recently launched the ‘See Botswana Differently’
global brand campaign aimed at attracting new clients
and selling their brand as a gateway to Botswana and its
rich heritage. “As Botswana continues to position itself…
as a dominant MICE destination, we recognise the stiff
competition with other global destinations, hotel chains
and other hospitality offerings, and thus the need to set
ourselves apart as a leading hospitality provider,” says the
Managing Director Mokwena Morulane during their
recent roadshow in South Africa this year.
The hotel services industry continues to grow across
Botswana and is anchored largely on a growing and
active tourism industry. Other prominent names in the
business include the Protea Hotel by Mariott, the Hilton
Garden Inn, and Avani Gaborone Resort and Casino, each
possessing its unique selling points for the country to host
international business events.
In time, as the National MICE strategy comes to
fruition, the expectation is that the hospitality sector, the
Government and other stakeholders will be able to play a
more meaningful role in positioning the country as a global
events destination. Only then will business tourism be able
to compliment leisure and minerals to forge a diversified
and sustainable economy for the people of Botswana.