Botswana 'Africa's best-kept secret'

Botswana is set to be one of Africa's major areas of growth over coming years, according to the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC).

A report from the organisation predicted annual growth of five per cent in the country's travel and tourism industry in the coming years, exceeding the world average of 4.3 per cent.

The travel industry already contributes over ten per cent of total employment in Botswana.

Jean-Claude Baumgarten, president of the WTTC, said that the destination is still relatively unknown to long-haul tourists and largely dependent on intra-regional travel, making it possibly "Africa's best-kept secret".

"However these forecasts show that, with the right policy framework, Botswana has the potential not only to expand rapidly but also to significantly broaden its tourism product base, appealing to a much wider range of tourist tastes and budgets," he added.

Botswana's environment, wildlife and tourism minister Onkokame Kitso Mokaila stressed the importance of the country reducing its reliance on the mining industry and said that tourism will be made a priority for the national economy.

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