The majority of tourists who visited Botswana in 2019 resided in the SADC region, according to a 2019 annual tourism statistics report released last month.
The report further indicates that of the 1.6 million tourists received in the country, about 1.3 million resided in the SADC sub-continent, with South Africa and Zimbabwe being the major contributors at 43.7 per cent and 36.3 per cent respectively, followed by Zambia, Namibia and Lesotho, while other countries contributed less than a per cent.
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It further indicates that United States of America, Germany, United Kingdom, Australia and France accounted for close to 200 000 tourists, translating to 12.7 per cent of the total overseas tourists, while other countries contributed less than five per cent.
Statistics Botswana said the gender distribution for 2019 followed the same pattern as 2018, with males dominating for both categories of tourists coming for overnight or as day visitors, accounting for 61.5 per cent and females accounting for 38.5 per cent.
The report further states that most of the males came to visit friends and relatives, followed by those who came for business and those who were in transit, while most females came to visit friends and relatives, followed by those who came for holiday.
Road transport accounted for the highest mode for tourists who came into the country at 91.8 per cent, followed by those who flew in at 7.7 per cent, while rail travel accounted for less than a per cent.
It says the majority of tourists travelling by air entered through Sir Seretse Khama International Airport (SSKIA), followed by Maun and Kasane airports.
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A further analysis of air travellers by purpose of entry showed that most of the tourists who were visiting friends and relatives as well as those who came for business came through SSKIA, while most of those who came for holiday entered through Maun and Kasane airports.
Meanwhile, Ramokgwebana Border Post received majority, followed by Tlokweng Border Post, while SSKIA was the only airport in the top 10 of the busiest ports of entry for tourists.
