The First Ever Botswana Tourism Investment Summit Opens with Dr. Taleb Rifai

Dr Taleb Rifai
Dr. Taleb Rifai, Chairman ITIC

The Botswana Tourism Investment Summit started this morning and is expected to give a new impetus to investments in the country’s tourism industry.

The first-ever Botswana Tourism Investment Summit is being held in this African capital, Gaborone, from the 23rd to the 24th of November 2023.

The Chair of The International Tourism Investment Conference Dr Taleb Refai addressed the Audience during the opening of the Investment Summit.

Jordanian Dr. Taleb Rifai was the former two-term Secretary General of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).

Great insights from our Tourism legend Dr. Taleb Rifai, whom we so much celebrate and have renamed him as the Father of Tourism.

Cuthbert Ncube, Chair of the African Tourism Board

This event organized by the International Tourism and Investment Corporation (ITIC) in partnership with World Bank Group’s International Finance Corporation, aims at promoting Botswana as a land of untapped tourism potential to becoming a major conduit for foreign investment flows to the country.

Furthermore, Botswana’s project developers are being connected to investors.

Bankable projects in quest of investments will be highlighted through presentations.

ITIC Botswana 2023 | eTurboNews | eTN
The First Ever Botswana Tourism Investment Summit Opens with Dr. Taleb Rifai

In addition, the ITIC and BTO teams are preparing to assist the different parties in brokering joint ventures, and partnership agreements or in entering the shareholding capital of these exciting strategic moves focused on high returns.

The 2-day Summit will provide a holistic view of Botswana’s challenges and ongoing transformations.

The country’s economic rate averaged 5% during the last decade and this Summit will pave the way not only to sustain this growth internally but also, to open an external window of opportunities by positioning Botswana as the next business and investment hub of the Southern African region.

An impressive array of the world’s most respected and authoritative voices among investors and tourism leaders will be lined up. His Honor Vice President Slumber Tsogwane of Botswana will open the summit.

Batani Walter Matekane, Director Macroeconomic Policy, Ministry of Finance Professor Ian Goldin, Oxford University Professor of Globalisation and Development and the founding Director of the Oxford Martin School and Former Vice-President of the World Bank, Ghait Al Ghait, CEO of Flydubai, Claudia Conceicao, Regional Director, Southern Africa, International Finance Corporation, Christopher Rodrigues CBE, Ambassador World Travel & Tourism Council, former Chairman of VisitBritain (2007 – 2017), Chairman Port of London Authority and Chairman of the Maritime & Coastguard Agency, Petra Pereyra, EU Ambassador to the Republic of Botswana and SADC t

Several thought-provoking and enriching topics will be discussed during the panels:

  • Botswana Economic Outlook and investment incentives to foreign investors
  • Air connectivity is the critical success factor in transforming Botswana into a regional tourism and business hub
  • Investment and financing sustainable tourism projects unlocking innovative business models in the tourism sector
  • Enabling investments in tourism SMEs in Botswana.

It is worth noting that Africa’s Diamond Exchange, the Southern African Development Community (SADC) headquarters, and several multinationals are located in Botswana due to the country’s stable political and social environment, vibrant democracy, strong adherence to world-class good corporate governance rules, conducive environment for doing business, robust and independent legal system as well as investment protection treaties.

Registration to attend the Summit in person closed a week before, showing the great interest that the event has wielded among the global investment community.

ITIC noticed an increasing interest in attending the event, and delegates from around the world can join the summit virtually

Watch Invest Botswana virtually

ITIC UK says about the organization:

The London UK-based ITIC Ltd (International Tourism and Investment Conference) acts as an enabler between the tourism industry and leaders of the financial services to facilitate and structure investments in sustainable tourism projects, infrastructures, and services that will benefit destinations, project developers, and the local communities through social inclusion and shared growth.

ITIC team undertakes extensive research to shed new light and perspectives on tourism investment opportunities in the regions in which we operate.

In addition to our conferences, we also provide project management and financial advisory services to destinations and tourism developers.

To find out more about ITIC and its conferences in Cape Town (Africa); Bulgaria (CEE & SEE regions); Dubai (Middle East); Jamaica (Caribbean), London UK (Global Destinations) and elsewhere visit www.itic.uk

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About the author

Juergen T Steinmetz

Juergen Thomas Steinmetz has continuously worked in the travel and tourism industry since he was a teenager in Germany (1977).
He founded eTurboNews in 1999 as the first online newsletter for the global travel tourism industry.

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