Wednesday, November 13, 2024

Botswana opens ports of entry to international tourists next month

Botswana has taken a decision to allow international tourists at two of its international airports – Maun and Kasane with effect from November 2020.

The two urban-villages where the international airports are located also serve as the gateway to the country’s tourism hotspots – The Okavango Delta, Moremi Game Reserve and Chobe National Park amongst others.

In a statement released late Monday, the Ministry responsible for Tourism confirmed the latest development.

“The Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources Conservation and Tourism is pleased to inform members of the public and the international community that Botswana is ready to receive private charter flights from 1st November 2020. The private charter flights will be allowed at two ports of entry namely, Maun and Kasane International Airports,” reads part of the Tourism ministry statement.

The ministry further said that the Government is finalising the required legislative framework to facilitate such air travel which will include protocols for compliance.

Botswana closed her borders in March 2020 following three reported positive cases of the Covid-19 disease.

Following the closure of the country’s points of entry including international airports, tourism enterprises were also forced to shut down due to a national lockdown that started in April and lasted for over two months.

By the end of April 2020 – when more positive cases were being reported in the country, atleast 90.7 percent of the facilities were shut down and only 9.3 percent were open to local guests. The closure of tourism enterprises as well as a ban on international travel has, according to official industry players, resulted in revenue loss of as much as P6 billion.

A study carried by the Botswana Tourism Organisation (BTO) on the Impact of the Covid-19 on the Travel & Tourism Industry in Botswana concluded in September that cancellations and postponed bookings resulted in revenue loss amounting to billions of Pulas cumulatively for tourism sector.

Botswana first gave a hint that it could allow international tourists into the country in July 2020. The Minister responsible for Finance and Economic development – Dr Thapelo Matsheka noted at the time that: “The sector could look at bringing tourists with negative COVID-19 status from, say Europe or North America on direct flights into Maun or Kasane, taking them directly out to bush camps, and keeping them in a “bubble” with minimal interaction with other visitors and social distancing with respect to staff.”

Apart from the tourism sector, Botswana has also registered massive losses in the minerals sector which has served as the country’s main revenue earner.

RELATED STORIES

Read this week's paper