Bostwana Tourism Investment Summit to Spotlight Country’s Untapped Tourism and Investment Opportunities
His Excellency, Mokgweetsi Masisi, President, Republic of Bostwana
London, UK
The highly anticipated ‘Botswana Tourism Investment Summit’ to be hosted by International Tourism Investment Corporation Ltd (ITIC – www.itic.uk) in partnership with Botswana Tourism Organisation (BTO) will be held in Gaborone, Botswana from 22-24 November 2023 and will aim to highlight the country’s strong potential and untapped tourism and investment opportunities.
The Botswana Tourism Organisation (BTO) and International Tourism and Investment Conference (ITIC), in collaboration with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) have
today announced that the upcoming ITIC Tourism Investment Summit will take place in Gaborone, Botswana on 22-24 November 2023. The two-day Summit is expected to act as a catalyst for unlocking investment opportunities for Botswana which remains a relatively unexploited tourist region.
Over the last few years, Botswana has been actively shifting to another stage of its economic development. The country is strongly positioned in the heart of southern Africa as a gateway to South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Namibia – effectively a conduit for investors to do business
with the rest of Southern Africa. A conducive environment will be rolled out to accelerate the impact of foreign investment and tourism within Botswana that has become the future engine of growth and is Africa’s longest surviving democracy since independence with a stable and prosperous economy.
Speaking ahead of the summit, Hon. Philda Nani Kereng, Minister of Environment and Tourism of Botswana, said, “Botswana opens its doors to international sustainable investment opportunities that, till now, have been relatively untapped. Our mission is to provoke new thinking and explore new opportunities and financial mechanisms for sustainable investments in travel and tourism and business. We are honoured to host the Botswana Tourism Investment Summit organised by ITIC and with a landscape like no other, we strongly encourage policy makers and investors not to underestimate the potential of one of the most beautiful countries within Africa. Rated Africa’s best safari destination 2023, the Summit propels investments towards building
Botswana as a destination of choice for business”.
Hon. Philda Nani Kereng, Minister of Environmental and Tourism, Republic of Bostwana
The BotswanaTourism Investment Summit and Exhibition will host approximately 300-400 tourism and financial services CEOs and business elites who will deliver an unrivaled combination of thought-provoking contents and extraordinary networking opportunities. This will bring together international leaders and project developers in the tourism, travel and hospitality sectors and connect them with investors from private equity firms, investment banks, institutional investors, fund managers and influencers, who have the power to channel capital and to raise funds for investment in sustainable tourism projects.
Indira Campos, Acting Country Manager for Botswana, International Finance Corporation (IFC)
The summit will see some of the best specialists explore the current trends and discuss the future of the tourism industry in Botswana. This was reiterated by IFC – International Finance Corporation’s Acting Country Manager for Botswana, Indira Campos, who said, “Tourism is a key enabling sector in Botswana with high potential for growth and can help create jobs, reduce inequality, and contribute to diversifying the economy. IFC is committed to supporting efforts to further develop Botswana’s tourism sector by attracting private investment into lodges and other tourism-related infrastructure, including transport, hotels, camps and caravan sites, food business and hospitality services.”
IFC, a member of the World Bank, promotes private sector development in emerging markets, and its work in the tourism sector is a key part of that mission. IFC provides financing and advisory services to help businesses in many sectors to grow and create jobs, while also promoting sustainable and inclusive economic growth.
Stemming from its mandate, investment facilitation initiatives are carried out with the aim of increasing the contribution of tourism to the nation’s economic growth through the promotion and expansion of existing tourist enterprises and new
investments in the tourism sector.
It also contributes to citizen economic empowerment and poverty alleviation, by facilitating increased citizen participation in tourism value chains and diversify the tourism sector, both in terms of geographic location and product.
It is however important to know that through the Bostwana Tourism Organisation Act of 2009, it provides that all tourist enterprises licensed under the Tourism Act of 2009 shall be graded. The grading system serves as a useful marketing tool in indicating to travel agents, tour operators, and Tourists in general the quality of service in different areas, as a basis for deciding which facilities to select before starting a journey to any particular destination. The system also provides a framework to industry investors in designing their facilities to attract the desired market groups.
Furthermore, Dr. Taleb Rifai, Chairman of ITIC & former Secretary General of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation said: “We are delighted that Botswana has been
recognised for the vast investment potential available to potential stakeholders. The country’s
financial and capital markets are among the most sophisticated in Africa, and our summit provides
the relevant platform to drive international awareness and further investment into Botswana and
act as a catalyst for growth”.
Dr. Taleb Rifai, Chairman of ITIC & Former Secretary General, United Nations World Tourism Organisation
About the organisers: lTIC UK
The London, UK-based International Tourism and Investment Conference (ITIC) Ltd. acts as an enabler between the tourism industry and leaders of the financial services to facilitate and structure investments in sustainable tourism projects, infrastructures and services that will be beneficial to destinations, project developers and the local communities through social inclusion and shared growth. ITIC team undertakes extensive research to shed new light and perspectives on tourism investment opportunities in the regions in which we operate. In addition to our conferences, we also provide project management and financial advisory services to destinations and tourism developers.
Botswana Tourism Organisation (BTO)
Botswana Tourism Organisation (BTO) is a parastatal established through an act of parliament under the Ministry of Environment and Tourism. It is mandated to market and position Botswana as a premier tourist destination; promote investment in the tourism sector; and to grade and classify tourism facilities. BTO shall do all things necessary to market and promote Botswana tourist attractions, encourage and facilitate travel by local and foreign tourist to the said attractions.
About International Finance Corporation (IFC)
IFC — a member of the World Bank Group — is the largest global development institution focused on the private sector in emerging markets. It operates in more than 100 countries, using its capital, expertise, and influence to create markets and opportunities in developing countries. In fiscal year 2023, IFC committed a record $43.7 billion to private companies and financial institutions in developing countries, leveraging the power of the private sector to end extreme poverty and boost shared prosperity as economies grapple with the impacts of global compounding crises. For more information,
visit www.ifc.org.
To attend the event, delegates should register here: www.eventbrite.co.uk
To find out more about ITIC and its conferences in Cape Town (Africa); Bulgaria (CEE & SEE regions); Dubai (Middle East); Jamaica (Caribbean), London UK (Global Destinations) and elsewhere please visit www.itic.uk
For more information, please contact Ibrahim Ayoub, Group CEO, ITIC at ibrahim@itic.uk
