The official web portal for Environmental Information System (EIS) has been hailed as a tool that could boost the tourism sector as the portal gains popularity across the world.
The portal has amassed global recognition as it is leading with 2139 visits followed by India with 237 visits. The EIS is a national data system for use in the management of natural resources.
“Environmental issues about our country are reaching areas that have been information deficient,” said Tshekedi Khama the minister of environment wildlife and tourism.
Khama said this popularity is one way of selling the country’s tourism products as well as attracting investors to come and invest.
“Environment information creates an opportunity to make targeted strategies for dealing with challenges such as tourism development, climate change, food security, and sustainable development amongst other issues,” he said.
The portal is expected to provide a basis for planning, policy formulation and developments that drive the economy. He added that environment issues are cross cutting, involving almost all the sectors of the economy and therefore environmental management is everybody’s responsibility and cannot be addressed by a single institution.
The EIS continues to gain popularity among environmental information consumers recording a total of 3 589 visits between October 2011 and October 2012. Khama said the continuous usage of the web portal has indicated wider usage across the globe.
The portal provides web visitors with a number of search engines such as land, biodiversity, settlements, and wilderness. In addition the portal is aimed at improved management of natural resources and environmental security towards sustainable development.
“The web portal can be better described as a one stop shop for information on Botswana environment,” he said. Tourism is one of the world’s largest industries and for developing countries. It can be a source of much needed income.
