13 September 2025
Botswana just launched the City Tourism Initiative in Gaborone in a bold move to transform its capital city and other towns in Africa’s longest uninterrupted democracy into vibrant destinations that complement the country’s famed wilderness offering.
The launch of the City Tourism Initiative in Gaborone at the National Museum and Art Gallery recently has been hailed as a turning point in Botswana’s economic diversification efforts. Officially launching the initiative, the Vice President and Minister of Finance, Ndaba Gaolathe, emphasised that tourism must grow beyond the wilderness and safari circuit to enhance the potential of cities to create jobs, stimulate investment and preserve urban cultural heritage.
“City tourism is a viable instrument,” he said as he unveiled the first Gaborone city tour map.
People, culture, history
“It will repurpose our towns, from Gaborone to Francistown, into viable destinations while celebrating the stories of our people, our culture, and the history embedded in our cityscapes.”
The Ministry of the Environment and Tourism, in partnership with the private sector and other stakeholders, is leading the initiative. Minister Wynter Mmolotsi described the move as a deliberate effort to shift the tourism spotlight.
“For decades, the (Okavango) Delta and wildlife have carried our tourism identity,” he said.
Private sector on board
“But our towns and cities hold stories, culture, food, and resilience that deserve to be shared with the world. This will not only diversify our economy beyond mining but also prolong visitor stays in Botswana.”
Industry echoed the government’s commitment. The Chairman of the Hospitality and Tourism Association of Botswana, Joe Motse, said the initiative begins with domestic pride before drawing international attention.
“We must take our relatives and visitors around our cities,” he urged. “Clean streets, refurbished monuments, and packages that highlight Gaborone’s uniqueness will strengthen our Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) offerings and attract more business tourism.”
Clean and safe streets
The Mayor of Gaborone, Oarabile Motlaleng, noted that the city is undergoing improvements to meet global standards.
“We want Gaborone to be competitive with other global cities,” he said. “Cleanliness and safety are critical to building a sustainable tourism brand.”
The launch culminated in a guided tour of key sites in Gaborone. These included Thapong Visual Arts Centre, Mafitlhakgosi at Old Naledi, the BTC Museum, and the Parliament Precinct where monuments honouring Botswana’s founding leaders and fallen heroes were showcased.
There’s more to the capital
The City Tourism Initiative positions Gaborone as more than just an administrative capital of the nation. By spotlighting its history, architecture and cultural vibrancy, Botswana is laying the groundwork for cities to become tourism destinations in their own right – mirroring the resilience of their people and enriching the nation’s economic future.
YourBotswana view…
While I think the The City Tourism Initiative is a sound one, I pray to God it won’t be as half-baked as many others before it. Or worse still, sheer, unadulterated pie in the sky – Leather Park, Milk Afrique, the Gaborone underground, anyone? Here in Botswana, we’re famous for talking a good talk but when it comes to implementation, we are woeful at best.
Botswana has great potential but here we are in 2025, lagging behind supposedly poorer African countries in terms of infrastructure and megaprojects. Yet before this ongoing diamond slump, you couldn’t shut us up, telling anyone who’d listen about how rich Botswana is – with zero to show for it, mind.
I like the idea of looking to our towns and cities to diversify our economy. The Chairman of the Hospitality and Tourism Association of Botswana, Joe Motse, talks about cleaning up our landscapes. Botswana is filthy, so that’s as good a starting point as any. While some might shoot me down, but I personally feel street hawkers need to be rounded up, put in proper structures and made to observe very high standards.
Gaborone CBD has to be the shabbiest CBD of any country, a real eye sore. What’s more, they’re a health and safety hazard, an accident waiting to happen. Street hawkers and car washes have no business there. Councils could do with setting up proper markets for them. I’ve lived and travelled around the world. Tourists LOVE markets. There’s really nothing to see or do in Gaborone but I’m convinced visitors to Botswana would flock to Botswana markets, providing they’re CLEAN, well-run and offer them something that is truly Botswana… crafts, food, Botswana-made products etc. Councils would do well to look into this.
Three years ago, we at YourBotswana published an article titled Brand Gaborone? that might be an interesting read in light of the launching of The City Tourism Initiative.
Source: https://shorturl.at/HH8lf
