- Move aimed at fostering regional air connectivity and making Botswana an accessible travel destination
- Met with representatives from 15 airlines from the UK, Asia, the Middle East and Africa
BONGANI MALUNGA
For the first time ever, Botswana recently participated in the largest air connectivity-focused conference in the world.
Known as the Routes World 2024 Conference, the symposium was held in Bahrain last week and brought together 100 nations, including representatives from 300 airlines, 700 airports and 130 tourism authorities.
According to a statement from Botswana Air Access, the country’s delegation engaged with industry peers and explored collaboration aimed at fostering regional, continental and global connectivity to make Botswana a more accessible travel destination.
15 global airlines
Botswana Air Access was formulated in August this year to enhance air connectivity to the country through new routes and route expansions on a domestic, regional and global level.
The initiative is a collaborative effort between the Civil Aviation Authority of Botswana (CAAB), the Hospitality and Tourism Association of Botswana (HATAB), Botswana Tourism Organisation (BTO), Botswana Investment and Trade Centre (BITC), Business Botswana and the Travel Agent’s Association of Botswana (TAABOT).
According to the statement, meetings to explore introduction of new air routes to connect Botswana to the world were held with representatives of more than 15 global airlines, among them those of the United Kingdom, Asia, the Middle East and Africa.
MICE strategy
The meetings were aimed at building relationships with major aviation stakeholders with fruitful discussions taking place, further increasing Botswana’s chances of forging more air routes.
Botswana’s exhibition was centred on showcasing the aviation, tourism, trade and investment offerings that make the country a hotspot for these sectors.
“Botswana’s business case to airlines’ representatives was well-constructed and reflected the country’s Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) strategy,” said the statement.
“The Botswana Air Access initiative aims to position Botswana as a leading flight destination in sub-Saharan Africa.”