Concern over few airlines serving Africa

from ODIRILE TOTENG in Gaborone, Botswana
GABORONE – BOTSWANA’S tourism minister has appealed for more airlines to service the continent in order to boost intra-African tourism.

Philda Nani Kereng, Minister of Environment, Natural Resources Conservation and Tourism, said this should be the next strategy to recovery and developing resilience.

“It is imperative that we make Africa a domestic market and facilitate Africans to travel within Africa,” she said.

Kereng was participating in a ministerial panel discussion on air connectivity in Africa, at the World Travel Market (WTM Africa) in Cape Town, South Africa.

“There is only a handful (of airlines) that either operate regionally and/or connect Northern Africa to Southern Africa,” Kereng said.

The minister is also advocating for the easing of visa and immigration requirement as well as developing intra-African routes to connect the different African countries at reasonable prices.

Kereng toured exhibition stalls by Botswana operators at the WTM Africa.

A total of nine Botswana-based tourism companies are participating at the travel fair to promote Botswana as a safe travel destination amid COVID-19.

– CAJ News