Cultural Heritage Tourism: A Potential Adaptation
Strategy to Climate Change in the Limpopo Basin:
Case studies of Northeast and Bobirwa Districts Botswana: AF42
by
NAOMI MOSWETE
BOTSWANA
moatshen@mopipi.ub.bw
Heritage tourism

it involves seeking an encounter with natives or
feeling part of the history of a place. E.g. visitors
to art galleries seek an encounter with beauty,
uniqueness, authenticity and exclusiveness whilst
visitors to museum are seeking discovery, novelty,
diversity and knowledge (Hall, 1995).

cultural
practices
eg
storytelling, witchcraft etc
rainmaking
rituals,
In its purest form, ecotourism





*minimises negative social, cultural and ecological
impacts
Non consumptive eg photography,
*empowers local communities in conservation and
management of natural and cultural resources.
*brings economic benefits to local communities and
directs revenue to local people living in and around
protected areas, and
*increases revenues for protected areas
Overview of Tourism
in Botswana




2nd revenue earner after
mining and contributes
5.8% to GDP
The rich wildlife and
wilderness assets
Ranks high in wildlife
resources in Southern
Africa e.g. numbers and
variety and less
crowded parks
World class wilderness
of the Kalahari desert
Botswana,s major tourism product

Wildlife

Wilderness

Okavango Delta
Tourism and Climate Change

Many areas of the Tourism industry
rely on the climate, natural/seminatural and cultural environment of a
region to attract tourists.
Main objective
to assess the extent to which
cultural heritage tourism could
become a possible adaptation
strategy to climate change in the
greater
Limpopo
Basin
–
Botswana
-
Case Study 1: Bobirwa Sub-District
and The Tuli Block Area

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Economic activity – focus on the growing of millet
and sorghum, rearing cattle and goats
Phane caterpillar (lack of rain in 2002/2003)
Arable land is scarce
A larger proportion of the area is privately owned
(farms, private reserves, game farms)
Recurrent droughts, which led to
Fluctuations and decline of livestock in recent
years
Cattle trends in the case study areas
400
350
250
Kgatleng
200
Bobirwa
150
North-East
100
50
0
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1990
1993
1995
1996
1997
1998
Cattle trends (000)
300
Years
Changing Status of key Wildlife Species in the Kalahari
from 1978 to 1994 (Perkins and Ringrose, 1996)
Species
1978
1994
Comments
wildebeest 315,058
17,934
Hartebeest 293, 462
44,737
Gemsbok
71,423
85,368
Eland
18, 832
11,757
Ostrich
92,286
27,744
Buffalo
72,290
(1987)
29, 037
drought, cattlepost
expansion
drought, cattlepost
expansion
Confined to
protected areas
Loss of habitat,
hunting
Hunting, live
capture
Habitat loss,
hunting
Wildlife Resources in both study
areas
-
Decline & very Low Wildlife
Resources in Communal Land
Increases & Fluctuations in
Freehold Land
Available Ecotourism Resources: Natural and
Cultural Resources in both study sites

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Wildlife eg lions
Variety of birds
unspoilt landscape
inimitable pebblesshiny and unique
colour found in
Bobonong
Limpopo River
The unique natural
landscape
Outback/Remoteness






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
Unique architecture
History
Lifestyle, language, religion
The rich cultural heritage
Traditional songs/music
and dances
Art and music, Poetry,
folklore,
Local food
Handicrafts
traditional costumes
Rock paintings
Unique Site in Moroka village
Ecotourism: Bobirwa Sub-District and
The Tuli Block: The existing Tourism
Resources and Activities




The Zebra dance troupe (women dancers) in
Mathathane
The goat dogs in Lentswe – Le – Moriti (unique
& a niche for the village)
Handicraft shelter built in Motlhabaneng (new)
Lepokole Hills Project – Mapanda
Conservation Trust formed in 2001 with the
help of KCS
Ecotourism: Bobirwa Sub-District and
The Tuli Block: The existing Tourism
Resources and Activities

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Solomon’s Wall with rich history
Unique rock outcrops/sandstone pedestals in
Lentswe – Le - Moriti
Matshekge Hills (Natural Twin towers)
Wildlife of Mashatu G. Reserve is diverse
Mokolwane tree hyphaene petersiana
Lodges and campsites
Talana Farms & ancient farm houses and
implements, farm tourism
Who benefits most from tourism in your
area?
Babirwa
1%
No idea
23%
Governme
nt
9%
None
3%
Noncitizens
64%
Ownership of tourism related
Enterprise – North East District
5% 10%
citizen
non-citizen
joint venture
85%
Level of Ecotourism/Tourism
Awareness in the Bobirwa Sub-Dis
Response
Don't know
Percentage
44
People visiting
28
Not Applicable
21
Seeing Animals
6
Leisure Travel
1
Case Study 2: North East District
and Francistown: existing
Resources and activities

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Rich cultural heritage resources
Eg Domboshaba cultural valley
Domboshaba Ruins
Matanga cultural site
Modumela ecolodge and game park
Moroka Zezeru pottery (since the 1960 droughts)
Mapoka Tjilenje Group
Historic city of Francistown
Supa Ngwao Museum
Visitor Statistics 1999 to 2002 : Supa Ngwao Museum in Francistown

2500
2000
Visitors

1500

1000
500
0
1999
2000
2001
Years
2002
Highest numbers
recorded in 1999 (2160)
1462 visitors recorded
in 2002
With highest numbers
recorded in August in
all years - school
recess
Visitor Trends to Domboshaba Ruins:
July 1997 to 2002 (North East)

2500

Visitor Numbers
2000
1500

1000

500
0
1997
1998
1999
2000
Years
2001
2002

July to December 1997 =
267 visitors
Jan to Dec. 1998 = 741
visitors
Jan to Dec. 2002 = 2314
visitors
Growth with no marketing
except WOM
No tourism related
developments
Tourist numbers to Matsieng Cultural heritage
Sites (1999 to 2001) in Kgatleng
Botswana
S.Africa
Europe
Zimbabwe
America
Others
Benefits (Northeast & Bobirwa-Tuli
Block sites)



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Employment opportunities eg 198 people employed
in lodges, Campsites and game reserves in the Tuli
area alone
Recreation facilities eg Supa ngwao museum,
Domboshaba site, Modumela Lodge (camping,
picnics, game drives),
Revival of local cultures and traditions (not
significant)
Craft production (shelter in Motlhabaneg
Accommodation (campsites to upmarket lodges)
Conference facilities
Benefits (Northeast & Bobirwa-Tuli
Block sites): Tourism related
developments e.g


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
Limpopo Valley Airfield (Air Botswana, chartered
flights
Game Park (on-going dev.) in Francistown
Game Farm (on – going dev.) between Tshesebe
and Mosojane
Tourism Offices in Francistown and Selebi Phikwe New (marketing and promoting)
Conservation initiatives (Wildlife, wilderness,
cultural assets )
Challenges?



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Most tourist resources in eastern Botswana
are underutilized eg in 1998, 75%
international tourist visited the popular
Okavango region whilst only 2.8% visited
eastern part (BTDP,2000)
Short length of stay Tourism awareness/ understanding - critical.
Communities seem to place more value on
arts tourism (contemporary art production)
Challenges?


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Lack of skilled manpower (project management,
finance, bookkeeping, marketing etc
Lack of monetary resources (& skills to access
funds)
divert focus from wildlife tourism to historic and
other cultural related resources
A larger proportion of the land on the hands of non- citizen
Lack of business spirit amongst the locals
(Government handouts)
Travel, tourism and HIV/AIDS
Plans
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More community workshops, meetings(info
dissemination
Tourism Awareness programs
Training and introduction of CBT
Assist communities to establish cultural village as
part of CBT
Use GIS to map out tourism sites/attractions in the
Limpopo Basin –Botswana
Produce promotional maps, brochures,videos of
eastern Botswana
,
Eco-Tourism in both Study
sites:Opportunities
Development of holidays linked with culture
and environment
 Development of cultural products (myths,
legends, stories, folklore)
 Target regional, international & domestic
tourists
 Accessibility (SA, Namibia, Zimb.)
 Rigorous promotion of domestic tourism
Eco-Tourism in both Study
sites:Opportunities

Preservation of cultural heritage resources eg provide
package tours to heritage sites in the area eg Fort
Motloutse, Majande Ruins, Domboshaba, Museums,
monuments etc

Encourage the locals to build huts using available local
material eg stones/rocks, grass/log and mud huts,
modelled on traditional Babirwa and Kalanga
architecture (small scale)
Has the potential to create employment, reduce
poverty, and curb rural-urban migration

Thank You
ubrigado
Ke a leboga
Dankie
Siabonga
Asante
Eco-Tourism in both Study
sites:Opportunities

Share knowledge with tourists about their
villages, cultural practices eg rainmaking
rituals, storytelling, witchcraft etc
 Raise awareness among locals of the benefits
and opportunities that tourism can bring.
especially among the youth
Visitor Numbers to Phuthadikobo
Museum in Kgatleng
Visitor Number to Phuthadikolo Museum (1999 – 2001)
Country of
origin
Botswana
1999 2000
2001
Total
%
2014 1948
2184
6146
93
South Africa 52
14
42
108
1.6
Zimbabwe
12
8
18
38
0.6
Europe
69
59
23
151
2.3
America
23
31
16
70
1.1
Others
12
27
49
88
1.3
Source: Site Visit Record Book