Botswana: Private sector hails country’s participation at Africa’s Travel Indaba
Botswana’s tourism private sector players have hailed the participation of the country at this year’s Africa’s Travel Indaba.
The recently held Africa’s Travel Indaba saw the increased participation of sector players from 28-38 with a sizable SMMEs forming a nucleus of their participation.
The exhibitors who spoke to VoyagesAfriq expressed appreciation to the Botswana Tourism Organization for the coordination and for creating a conducive platform to engage the travel trade.
Excited to be part of the show, Dawson Ramsden of Wilderness Safaris said, “We participated in this region to maintain the relationships we have been growing throughout the years. We also want to meet new people, new agents, and new operators in the industry so that we can grow our business in terms of attracting guests or visitors to Botswana as a country and to our facilities. We have very good traffic coming into our desk, and we have got very good meetings with a lot of substance. It is amazing. We have met a lot of people who have been working with wilderness in Botswana for many years.”
He added that a lot of people are interested in visiting Botswana and experiencing its itinerary and all it offers. “We are not only your international participants but your local and regional participants. I am very happy to say that the comments that we have had just from interested parties of how they enjoy Botswana as a tourist model for tourism destinations,” Dawson of Wilderness Safaris concluded.
Ludzi Godson of Glam Safaris applauded the tremendous haul by Botswana and reaffirmed the interest of more people to see and experience Botswana.
She said, “They already know that they want to sell Botswana, the only thing that they are looking for from us is partnership. They came and said that they always wanted to do Botswana and you Glam Safari being a destination marketing company, you are the right people we are looking for. So, I don’t talk much in these meetings. They are the ones actually coming in and telling me of Botswana. So, this show is really wonderful, Botswana is on the map. Everyone wants to sell Botswana and it’s good for business to be here.”
On her part, Marketing Assistant at Kessa’s Chalets Sego Galobaitse highlighted the overall success and exposure of the travel trade.
“I think this trade show will help us a lot because so far I have already met my target markets. When I came here, I targeted Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Namibia, and South Africa. I was looking for your operators, travel agents and so far I have met many and they have shown interest in my products. So far, I have had positive outcomes.”
Botswana Tourism Organisation (BTO) has been participating at INDABA since its inception over 22 years ago, to give service operators an opportunity to exchange ideas, promote and sell their services and further network as part of marketing.
The 2023 edition of Africa’s Travel Indaba saw over 8,500 delegates,1023 exhibitors, and 1737 international buyers, from 22 countries with a laudable representation of tourism private sector players.
