Pretoria - A venture by the North West Department of Tourism to market the province in neighbouring Botswana has grown enormously in the past eight years.
Batswana have now made the North West their second home as they visit and spend time in the province on holidays.
North West Tourism MEC Desbo Mohono led a campaign to promote the North West province as a preferred tourism destination over the weekend.
The venture has injected millions of rands, spent by Botswana tourists, into the province. The department, together with its agency, the North West Tourism Board, took the opportunity to further promote the provincial programme of villages, townships and small dorpies (VTSD).
Patrons attending the events were introduced to guesthouses and other tourism products based in the VTSD areas. Some were even offered free weekends away at these destinations.
Speaking at the event held in Gaborone, the chairperson of the North West Tourism Board, David Mogashoa, hailed the support and the humility displayed by the people of Botswana when visiting the North West province.
“For the past eight years since the commencement of this venture, many people from Botswana have had the opportunity of visiting our province.
“We are also in the process of negotiating with Botswana Tourism, which wants to send 40 young people to study in our hotel schools. That simply signals great partnership between the two tourism entities,” said Mogashoa.
Deputy High Commissioner in Botswana Bulelwa Kiva also endorsed how the tourism venture has contributed to the South African economy. She assured the people of Botswana of the good relations between the two countries.
“The people of Botswana and most of the North West are one people. They share the same culture, language and relate well,” said Kiva.
MEC Mohono said the goal is to improve tourist inflows into the North West.
“We have met with lot of product owners from Botswana and they acknowledge the fact that a lot still needs to be done to come up with ways to improve the status quo. With the state of facilities we have and capability of hosting international events, the province has adopted an events strategy, which has thus far brought people to our province,” she said.
The marketing campaign was graced by renowned artists and DJ’s like Mo-Molemi, Tuks, Bonolo, Khuli Chana, D-Mos, Kay Bee and Stoane Seate.
Tourism product owners across the four districts of the North West were also invited to promote their products in Gaborone. Products include guesthouses, hotels and resorts. – SAnews.gov.za
