Rediscover Botswana

Last updated
Rediscover Botswana
DateJuly 27 – August 22, 2020 (2020-07-27 2020-08-22)
Duration26 days
TypeTourism campaign
Organized by
  • Thalefang Charles
  • Sonny Serite

Rediscover Botswana was a domestic tourism campaign that ran in Botswana from July 27 to August 22, 2020. [1] [2] It encompassed an 8,000 kilometre tour across various tourist attractions in Botswana. The event was organised and hosted by media personalities Thalefang Charles and Sonny Serite, and it was sponsored by the Botswana Tourism Organisation with support from several tourism associations. [3] [4] The tour began at the Matsieng Footprints and ended at the Dikgosi monuments in Gaborone. [5] Sites were selected to demonstrate diversity among tourist destinations, including "national parks, heritage sites, cultural offerings, and other sites" at various budgets. [6]

Rediscover Botswana was carried out in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting decline of international tourism. [7] It was intended to spread awareness of notable places in Botswana and educate citizens about how to best travel domestically. [3] Tourism has been a significant aspect of the Botswana economy prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the Rediscover Botswana campaign sought to prevent some of the financial losses associated with the decline in tourism. [8] The campaign was well received and is believed to have contributed to domestic tourist bookings. [9]

Charles listed the most significant visits of the tour as the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, the Gcwihaba caves, the Boro and Thamalakane rivers, AfroBotho, the Moremi Game Reserve, and the Makgadikgadi Pan. [10]

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References

  1. "REDISCOVER BOTSWANA CAMPAIGN KICKOFF".
  2. UNPLUGGED, BOTSWANA (2020-08-28). "The Re-Discover Botswana tourism campaign lauded". FurtherAfrica. Retrieved 2023-12-17.
  3. 1 2 Ntakhwana, Omphile (2020-07-28). "Rediscover Botswana campaign kickoff". Daily News Botswana . Retrieved 2023-01-27.
  4. "The Re-Discover Botswana tourism campaign lauded". FurtherAfrica. 2020-08-28. Retrieved 2023-01-27.
  5. "Domestic Tourism Is Boosting The Recovery of Botswana Tourism Industry". Travel Inn Magazine. 2020-10-08. Retrieved 2023-01-27.
  6. Stone, Lesego S.; Stone, Moren T.; Mogomotsi, Patricia K.; Mogomotsi, Goemeone E.J. (2021-06-07). "The Impacts of Covid-19 on Nature-based Tourism in Botswana: Implications for Community Development". Tourism Review International. 25 (2): 274. doi: 10.3727/154427221X16098837279958 . ISSN   1544-2721. S2CID   234268223.
  7. C. Anyanwu, Anyanwu; O. Salami, Adeleke. "The impact of COVID‐19 on African economies: An introduction". National Library of Medicine.
  8. "Rediscover Botswana gains momentum". travelnews.africa. 2020-08-26. Retrieved 2023-01-27.
  9. Hambira, Wame L.; Stone, Lesego S.; Pagiwa, Vincent (2022-01-02). "Botswana nature-based tourism and COVID-19: transformational implications for the future". Development Southern Africa. 39 (1): 51–67. doi:10.1080/0376835X.2021.1955661. ISSN   0376-835X. S2CID   238795639.
  10. Charles, Thalefang (2020-08-28). "The best of Rediscover Botswana". Mmegi Online. Retrieved 2023-01-27.