Botswana’s President, H.E. Dr. Mokgweetsi E.K. Masisi, has received recognition from the 5th Africa Tourism Leadership Forum and Awards for his thought leadership role in supporting a variety of tourism development projects and initiatives being carried out by the Ministry of Environment and Tourism. In light of this, when the 2022 Forum was held in Gaborone in late October of that year, the President was presented with a Special Recognition award for thought leadership in the development of sustainable tourism in Africa.
The 2022 ATLF was designed with a specific goal in mind: to unite Africa in Botswana by promoting inclusive intra-Africa trade, partnerships, and investments that will ignite intra-Africa tourism. In Africa, Botswana is a significant tourist destination for both business and pleasure. The nation has the means to grow and develop its travel, tourism, and allied industrial ecosystems in order to compete with the rest of the globe. The nation boldly demonstrated its readiness to be an industry leader in MICE through ATLF and Awards 2022. (Meetings, incentives, conferences, exhibitions, and events)
The readiness of Botswana to host the entire continent and the entire world for ATLF 2022 is mainly based on its progressive regulations that support risk-free and simple travel, internationally competitive lodging options, and conference locations. These are supplemented by the country’s breathtaking natural sceneries, which cover thousands of kilometers of the Kalahari desert.
The President asked all supporters of travel and tourism to cooperate in order to progress the sector while upholding the significance of preserving natural and cultural resources and encouraging sustainable development and investment. He made this call during his opening remarks. Additionally, he emphasised that Botswana is open for business and that the country’s growth and expansion have generated a lot of excitement and optimism.
SPECIAL APRRECIATION TO HON. NANI KERENG FOR CHAMPIONING THE SUCCESSFUL HOSTING OF 2022 EDITION OF ATLF & AWARDS IN BOTSWANA
Without the assistance and encouragement from the lovely host country of Botswana, the Africa Tourism Leadership Forum and Awards 2022 would not have been feasible.
Hon. Philda Nani Kereng, the minister for tourism and the environment of Botswana, played a significant role in making ATLF 2022 a reality.
The conveners and partners gave Hon. Philda Nani Kereng a unique token of appreciation as a thank you for hosting the forum and awards with such excellence.
Her honours, successes in the field, and strategic initiatives have broadened Botswana’s range of offerings beyond nature and wildlife. Her desire and efforts to invest in MICE and other connected industries in the sector and the ecosystem as a whole have mirrored this. In the same vein, wildlife and the wise exploitation of natural resources in Botswana are major agenda topics for development and investment. This will widen the breadth of the prospects that travel and tourism in Botswana may contain. The first climate change policy and plan in Botswana was developed and adopted in large part thanks to Hon. Philda Nani Kereng.
Considered as one of the leading Africa Tourism Ministers, Hon. Philda Nani Kereng, her office aims to ensure that Botswana remains the destination of choice. In her acceptance speech, the Minister, proudly announced Botswana’s enthusiasm to host the ATLF and Awards for three consecutive years in Botswana so that the rest of Africa can come together to enhance intra-Africa trade, collaboration and investment.
2022 DESTINATION AFRICA LIFETIME AWARD
This year’s Destination Africa – Lifetime Award was awarded to Hon. Dr Ibrahim Mohammed Awal, the Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Ghana.
This award is offered to an individual who has made an exceptional lifetime contribution in creating positive change in relation to “Destination Africa” beyond the African continent. Under Dr. Mohammed Awal’s leadership, Ghana seeks to position herself as the most preferred tourist destination in Africa and Ghana as the ‘Centre of the World’. This initiative along with the mentioned achievements attest palpably to Dr. Mohammed Awal’s unwavering commitment as a business and political leader who has the vision for improvement of the entrepreneurial and business ecosystem in Ghana and Africa through trade and investment, tourism, arts, and culture. He has also championed initiatives such as the “Year of Return”; “Beyond the Year of Return”; and “Dec in Ghana” to drive and grow tourist arrivals in his country. He is also a youth in tourism entrepreneurship enthusiast and therefore supports several initiatives in this regard.
Championing Sustainability Award
Tswalu Kalahari Reserve
Tswalu is a visionary conservation project in the Southern Kalahari, supported by nature-based tourism, with sustainability at its core. An Understated luxury and an authentic sense of place characterize its three camps, representing the lowest ratio of guests to space in a privately protected area in South Africa. Each camp is positioned to take in the reserve’s dramatic landscapes of savannah grasslands, red dunes and ancient mountains. The Motse and exclusive-use Tarkuni are complemented by Loapi, a light-footprint camp with six tented homes offering the ultimate private wilderness experience. At all three camps a private vehicle is guaranteed with each booking, providing complete freedom to traverse and explore this vast, semi-arid wonderland with a dedicated guide and tracker. Days on safari are unscripted and immersive, a unique journey of discovery into the rare and unusual from desert-adapted fauna and flora to San rock engravings. Iconic Kalahari sights include black-maned lion, oryx, desert black rhino as well as shy, elusive creatures like brown hyena, aardvark and pangolin. Guests contribute towards Tswalu’s regenerative vision to leave the world better than how it was found, ensuring that vital habitat is restored so that biodiversity can once again flourish for the benefit of both planet and people.
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