The International Tourism Fair (ITB) took place in Berlin from 8-12 March 2017, attracting more than 100.000 trade visitors from 184 countries, including tour operators, tourism organizations, hotels, lodges, travel agencies and transport organizations. The Botswana Tourism Organization (BTO) has taken the opportunity to become the partner country of ITB Berlin 2017. The Botswana Minister for Environment, Natural Resources, Conservation and Tourism, Honorable Tshekedi Khama, elaborated on Botswana’s objectives to feature as the official partner country in the world’s largest travel trade show: Being the official partner country “will ensure the long-term attention of the global tourism industry. It will place the spotlight on Botswana’s tourism successes and focus attention on our potential for economic development. Botswana will also benefit from this year’s fiftieth anniversary of ITB Berlin. Numerous activities and events will give us the opportunity to market and promote our country as a tourism destination and to improve our returns on investment“. H. E. Lieutenant General Dr. Seretse Khama Ian Khama officially opened the fair, demonstrating the tremendous political support of the Government of Botswana to realize its full potential as a tourism destination.

 
 
BTO approached GIZ to partner for a presence at the ITB. Because the German Development Cooperation is one of the largest donors of national and regional natural resources management and biodiversity conservation efforts in the SADC region through GIZ and KfW, the Transboundary Use and Protection of Natural Resources programme saw this partnership as an opportunity to promote regional tourism in Transfrontier Conservation Areas (TFCA). Botswana is partner to three TFCA, sharing with its neighbours Angola, Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and South Africa: the Kavango-Zambezi (KAZA) TFCA – the largest TFCA in the world - the Greater Mapungubwe TFCA - a renowned World Heritage Site, and the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park – Africa’s first transboundary park. Tourism is one of the most important income generators in TFCA. By promoting this sector beyond iconic attractions such as Chobe National Park, the Okavango Delta or Victoria Falls, its benefits can potentially also accrue to less developed areas in the region. Tourism experts estimate that eight to ten tourists create one local job.
 
Greater Mapungbugwe TFCA International Coordinator Patience Gandiwa was among the SADC TFCA Network delegation that put the region’s TFCAs on the table at the ITB. She said it was a very interactive week in which SADC TFCA relevance in the global tourism arena was felt. At the fair, plenty opportunities existed to promote TFCA as tourist destinations. In the spacious entrance hall to the fair a large exhibition sponsored by De Beers housed among others a digital interactive screen introducing the visitors to the concept of TFCA and their attractiveness as a tourist destination. Besides the space at the entrance hall, cross-border tourism events were marketed at the Botswana stand in the adventure hall and the KAZA TFCA stand in the Africa hall.  TFCA representatives could also display material at the exhibition booths of Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland and Zimbabwe.
 
During an interview Ms Gandiwa said TFCA presence at ITB was not only important but very necessary to exhibitors. “The 21st century tourist is looking for a unique tourism experience, one that stretches their horizons and offers them an opportunity to make a difference. For some, TFCAs are the ultimate destinations to consider when one decides to visit southern Africa, whilst for others, TFCAs are investment portals where everyone can find their own niche to make a significant impact that lasts a lifetime,” explained Ms Gandiwa. She said TFCA presence at ITB is a ‘game changer to the travel and tourism industry world-wide, demonstrating that united, the SADC region is stronger and richer, offering a tourism experience like no other to visitors. Ms Gandiwa strongly believes the future is bright for SADC TFCAs as tourism operators from all over the world were during the ITB expressing a keen interest in selling the region’s cross border products. “I had interaction with representatives of Lonely Planet and BizTravel who are ITB Media partners in the Adventure hall, they were looking for unique products and TFCAs seem to be providing the package that their clientele needs,” said Ms Gandiwa.
 

Highlights for visitors were life-size models of 50 Rhinoceroses that were placed across the various access areas to the fair. One rhino was branded for SADC TFCA, showing the 18 TFCA in the region. Another three advertised the three Botswana TFCA through attractive pictures and graphics. Finally one rhino showcased the various efforts of the German Development Cooperating to combat poaching and the illegal wildlife trade in Africa and Asia.
 
Ms Gandiwa said that through these marketing efforts she could thoroughly exploited the platform to market GMTFCA. “The whole world now knows about the Greater Mapungubwe TFCA landscape. Very few people knew about the TFCA and yet some were aware of the Mapungubwe Cultural Landscape. The news of GMTFCA’s Tour de Tuli and Wildrun were received with a lot of excitement!” she exclaimed. She said she was grateful to have been given the opportunity to assist with manning the KAZA exhibition stand as that opened her eyes even more to lobby for the UNIVISA. “The UNIVISA arrangement has great potential to attract tourists to the SADC region if it can be rolled-out to all KAZA TFCA countries,” she said.
 
The TFCA delegation also contributed to two well-received panel events, one conducted by the Government of Botswana and one conducted by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) on sustainable tourism and development as well as anti-poaching welcomed Federal Minister for Cooperation and Development, Hon. Dr Gerd Müller, and Minister for Environment, Natural Resources, Conservation and Tourism, Hon. Tshekedi Khama, as key note speakers.
Despite the high level attention and engagement it has become obvious that promoting regional tourism is still a challenge that mostly has to overcome short-term national interests, but also has to find international partners that seek to develop regional tourist products beyond adventure and the big five. Nonetheless a first vital step was made and we will continue to support our partners to pursue this topic. The effort has to be a joint one, between governments in the region, the SADC Secretariat, private sector and civil society as well as communities.
 
According to Ms Gandiwa, the 18 TFCAs in the SADC region that are at different stages of development can collectively market cross border tourism and reap a lot out of the exercise. “Marketing cross-border tourism products is feasible when there is a formal agreement entered into by the governments involved, although maybe not yet for those at conceptual stage. All TFCAs with MoUs and Treaties can market cross-border tourism products and initiatives as the governments already commit to support such initiatives within the framework of TFCA development,” said an optimistic Ms Gandiwa. ITB gave her the opportunity to explain everything about the Network activities to those that expressed interest.  “I would not have managed to have direct contact with such people in 2017 or in the foreseeable future. The experience was much richer and bigger than what I expected. TFCAs should have a consistent presence at ITB every year. I also made contact with an individual with investment interests in community projects in GMTFCA,” she said.