Message


Hon. Phildah Nani Kereng
Minister of Environment and Tourism
Republic of Botswana

  Dear Tourism Partners and Prospective Investors,

I wish to warmly welcome you in Gaborone for the Botswana Tourism Investment Summit.

I feel confident that you will seize the untapped opportunities in the tourism sector of my country which offer great potential and lucrative returns to investors.

Foreign Direct Investment will play a fundamental role in energizing Botswana’s economy and further contribute to its sustainable development while ensuring the social inclusion of all so that no-one is left by the side of the path of economic growth.

According to latest available statistics, our tourism sector accounts for 4.64% of my country’s GDP and for 8.4% of total employment. Furthermore, before the COVID-19 outbreak, Botswana attracted 1.83 million international travellers and generated receipts amounting to US$ 572 million.

Our destination has always been acknowledged as safe and stable both for foreign visitors and for investments. In addition, our economic fundamentals are all positive. Botswana stands out in Africa as an upper-middle-income with a GDP per capita of US$ 6,700.9 nowadays, backed by strong institutions upholding good governance and driven by a pool of a young, highly skilled and educated workforce.

We share boundaries with 4 countries (Namibia, South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe) and this unique geo-strategic location confers to Botswana its strong positioning as a promising business and financial hub in the Southern Africa region.

You will certainly be interested in reaping the benefits of my country’s membership to several regional economic blocs such as the Southern African Development Community which gives access to more than 345 million consumers, the Southern African Customs Union and the Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement.

Botswana also provides attractive incentives and liberal policies for investment, and I sincerely hope that all these appealing factors will positively influence your investment decision-making. 

Travel Information


 

 Self DrivingCamping

 
 

Embarking on a camping trip in Botswana requires a good deal of planning and preparation. You will be going to remote areas, accessible only by four-wheel drive, where water, petrol or food may not be available.


 

 Time To Visit

 
 

Botswana is an all-year round destination. The two distinctive seasons give varied all round terrific experiences.


 

 Going Green

 
 

Botswana Tourism Organisation (BTO) promotes best practice management systems across all tourism industry sectors to facilitate environmentally sustainable tourism development.

Why invest in Bostwana?

 

Botswana has over the years consistently ranked highly on economic and development indicators compiled by internationally recognized rating agencies such as a Business report. Transparency International. Ease of Doing Business Report (World Bank)

Strategically located at the heart of Southern Africa, Botswana offers excellent opportunities for investment. Botswana has managed to maintain a stable and growing economy since its independence in 1966. According to the United Nations, “Botswana’s greatest assets are peace, law & order, disciplined fiscal and monetary policies, and capable public institutions.”

Botswana has over the years consistently ranked highly on economic and development indicators compiled by internationally recognized rating agencies such as:

  • Business report
  • Transparency International
  • Ease of Doing Business Report (World Bank)
  • Heritage Foundation
  • Moody’s
  • Standard & Poors
  • The Global Competitiveness Report (World Economic Forum)Global Rating Agencies
  • The World Economic Forum’s (WEF) Global Information Technology Report (GITR)
  • Corruption Perception Index
 

In her effort to attract Foreign Direct Investment, Botswana offers the following investment incentives:

  • The low tax regime in the region:
    • 15% for manufacturing, financial services companies, and companies registered in the innovation hub;
    • 22% corporate tax for others;
    • Low personal income tax of up to 25%;
    • 12% Value Added Tax
    • Possible tax holidays for 5-10 years
    • Free repatriation of profits
    • Customs Duty Draw Back Facility, Free importation of raw materials, machinery, and equipment;
     
  • Great market access opportunities:
    • Duty-Free Quota Free Market Access to more than 50 million consumers in Botswana, South Africa, Namibia, Lesotho, and Eswatini;
    • Preferential market access to more than 345 million consumers in the SADC region;
    • Duty-Free Quota Free Market Access to the USA;
    • Duty-Free Quota Free Market Access to the European Union;
    • Double taxation agreements in place with South Africa, United Kingdom, Sweden, Mauritius, India, and Russia;
     
  • Botswana has a record of harmonious industrial relations, which aim to protect the interests of both workers and employers;
  • Botswana offers a thriving domestic financial sector, which includes banks, insurance companies, and a growing stock market. Botswana has acceded to international conventions and is strictly observing internationally accepted guidelines on combating money laundering and financial crime.
 

Areas of Investments

  • Botswana New Smart & Leisure City
  • High-end Tourism projects
  • Infrastructure – Airport / Road Developments
  • Health Protection
  • Education & Training
  • Hotels / Accommodation / Hotel Apart
  • Golf Resorts
  • Business Tourism, MICE and Convention Centres
  • Tourist Attractions & Leisure Parks
  • Eco Tourism / Eco lodges (wilderness)
  • African Museum and Heritage
  • Landmark Lifestyle
  • Events & Entertainment
  • Dams
  • Sports and Adventure Tourism (Desert Sport)
  • Gastronomic Tourism
  • Historic and Cultural Tourism

Why attend?

 

Explore highly relevant plenary sessions led by the Honourable Minister of Environment and Tourism, Botswana Government bodies as well as the industry’s top experts and thought leaders representing a wide range of disciplines within the tourism and financial services industries.

Unrivalled networking opportunities:
     
  • Multilateral investors/tourism developers meetings.
  • Build business relationships within the Global Tourism Private Sector
Have access to:
     
  • Development finance for Multilateral and development bank project pipeline owners.
  • Government officials responsible for the implementation of priority projects.

Who will attend?

The forum will be attended by:

  • Botswana Ministers
  • Government Bodies and Policy makers
  • Destination Management Companies
  • Hoteliers & Airline Companies
  • Tourism Project Developers
  • International Tourism Brands
  • Finance Institutions & Investment Banks
  • International Finance Centres
  • Fintech and Technology service providers
  • Private Equity Firms and institutional Investors
  • International Groups

Delegates will have the chance to attend, visit and participate in:

  • Investors’ meetings to seize projects and expressions of interest & to develop LOIs and MOUs.
  • Access to development finance for project pipeline owners.
  • Access to government officials responsible for the implementation of priority projects.
  • Parallel sessions presenting national project insights.
  • Unprecedented investors speed networking for those looking into advanced talks on opportunities.
  • Build business relationships with tourism developers and
  • investment partners.

Vibrant Tourism Outlook

 

The travel and tourism industry of Botswana contributed 12.5% of the country’s GDP before the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic. It has since recovered rapidly, bouncing back to 8% and 7.7% of Botswana’s total jobs in 2021. The sector is a major source of foreign currencies with 515 million US dollars flowing in last year (26% of total exports). The future looks bright as the country is diversifying its inbound tourism markets from its traditional Southern African base to European countries.

Steering Committee

  • Hon. Philda Kereng
  • Dr. Taleb Rifai, Chairman of ITIC
 

Other Directors of ITIC , namely: Gerald Lawless , Paul Hoskins, Ibrahim Ayoub, Cuthbert Ncube Executive Chairman (ATB), Mark Beer Chairman Metis Institute, Prof Ian Goldin Professor of Globalisation of Oxford University and Former Vice-President, World Bank and other selected leaders of the Travel and Tourism and Financial Services sectors to join the Steering Committee

ITIC Botswana Tourism Investment Summit 2023

 

Connecting Botswana Travel & Tourism Sector with Investors and Global Tourism Leaders

 

It will be the B2B Tourism Investment summit and exhibition bringing together international leaders and project developers in the tourism, travel and hospitality sectors and connects them with investors. The Summit will provide a platform to drive international awareness and investment in the Republic of Botswana and act as a catalyst for growth. It will attract private equity firms, investment banks, institutional investors, fund managers and influencers, who have the power to channel capital and to raise funds to invest in sustainable tourism projects.

It will host approximately 300-400 tourism and financial services stakeholders from local and international: CEOs, the business elite in the tourism and financial services sectors with the capacity to invest in the development of sustainable tourism in Botswana.

Our mission is to provoke a new thinking and explore new opportunities and financial mechanisms for sustainable investments in travel and tourism to be held in Gaborone, Botswana on the 26-27 January 2023.

As the Summit will provide an unprecedented opportunity to showcase the whole Botswana tourism industry and its achievements during the last 56 years on an international scene.

Tshoganetso Carl-Ponoesele

ITIC Speaker
Tshoganetso Carl-Ponoesele
Acting Chief Executive Officer
Botswana Tourism Organisation

Tshoganetso Carl-Ponoesele is the Acting Chief Executive Officer – Botswana Tourism Organisation. Ms. Carl is currently leading the BTO team in resuscitating the Botswana’s tourism product’ source markets and penetrating the new markets; optimising the tourism value chain; as well as harnessing opportunities to accelerate the recovery of the tourism sector from the ramifications of COVID-19.

Meet our Speakers

ITIC Speaker
Hon. Phildah Kereng
Minister of Environment, Natural Resources Conservation and Tourism Botswana more…
ITIC Speaker
Tshoganetso Carl-Ponoesele Acting Chief Executive Officer Botswana Tourism Organisation more…
ITIC Speaker
Ken Osei Principal Investment Officer: International Finance Corporation (IFC) World Bank Group (WBG) more…
ITIC Speaker
Elena Kountoura Member Group of the European United Left – Nordic Green Left more…
ITIC Speaker
Dr. Taleb Rifai Chairman ITIC & Former Secretary General United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) more…
ITIC Speaker
Christopher Rodrigues, CBE Chairman Port of London Authority more…
ITIC Speaker
Gerald Lawless Director ITIC & WTTC Ambassador more…
ITIC Speaker
Mark Beer Britsh Laywer & Chairman of The Metis Institute more…
ITIC Speaker
Ian Goldin Professor of Globalisation and Development University of Oxford more…
ITIC Speaker
Indira Campos Country Officer Botswana International Finance Corporation more…
ITIC Speaker
Cuthbert Ncube Executive Chairman Africa Tourism Board more…
ITIC Speaker
Ibrahim Ayoub Group CEO & MD ITIC & Invest Tourism Ltd more…
ITIC Speaker
Paul Hoskins Director ITIC Ltd and Invest Tourism Ltd more…
ITIC Speaker
Rajan Datar Broadcaster and Journalist BBC more…