Hospitality & Tourism Association of Botswana

Hospitality and Tourism Association of Botswana (HATAB) was formed in 1982 as a membership-based organisation of employers representing businesses in the tourism sector of Botswana. The Association is a non-profitable organization registered under the Registrar of Societies Act. The Association’s mandate is to drive the policy advocacy agenda in order to provide and promote enabling environment for business development and growth within the hospitality and tourism sector. While Business Botswana (then Botswana Confederation of Commerce, Industry and Manpower (BOCCIM)) had the same agenda, the tourism sector needed to address their idiosyncrasies with the Stakeholder.

HATAB has an approved Constitution that has been revised in March 2019 to guide on the Association’s mandate, key objectives and governance structures, in which there is Annual General Meeting and the Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson are elected after every two years. HATAB derived its strategic priorities from the objectives defined in the Constitution (Article 3). Its function includes advocacy, membership growth, care and support as well as financial sustainability of the organisations including investment. The specific objectives of HATAB make up its mandate. The Association set out;

a. To provide a forum for Government licensed tourism organizations in Botswana through which to address and deal with issues of relevance to their business interests;
b. To provide a voice for the tourism industry in its dealings with Government ministries and other professions and trades connected with trade and tourism;
c. To encourage the creation of an enabling environment for profitable tourism operations in Botswana;
d. To form branches/structures (sub sectors) as and when required by the Association;
e. To negotiate and enter into agreements with commercial undertakings for the improvement of the tourism industry;
f. To receive and disburse monies for the purposes of the Association with the authority to open such accounts, whether current or deposit, as are necessary and to invest monies in such securities or investments as the Executive Committee may decide from time to time;
g. To borrow money and to mortgage all or any part of the property of the Association as security for any debts, liabilities or obligations of the Association or any third party and to issue guarantees in respect thereof.;
h. To form and hold shares in commercial enterprises or companies to carry out the commercial activities of the Association;
i. To market and/or advertise the businesses and activities of its members at national and international fora; and
j. To carry out such other activities as may be required in furtherance of the objectives of the Association

The Association has also an updated 2018 HATAB Code of Conduct to ensure that HATAB members adhere to defined standard of service for both local s and international visitors as a way of promoting excellent service delivery in the hospitality services. To date, HATAB has about 300 members which has been growing a steadily from inception. The HATAB membership is categorised into nine (9) sectors based of the focus areas of the tourism sector, namely: Air Charters; Airlines; Mobile safaris Operators; Camps and Lodges; Hotels (including self-catering facilities); Services (including academic institutions, car rentals and other service providers); Tour Operators, and Conservation & Wildlife Management entities. 

In accordance to the HATAB Constitution, the Association is run by the Executive Committee (equivalent to a Board) headed by the Chairperson and made up of Vice-Chairperson, Treasurer, 12 HATAB Sector Representatives and the Chief Executive Officer as the ex-officio based on her capacity of responsible for the HATAB Secretariat. HATAB is affiliated to Botswana Business (BB), which is the chamber of commerce in Botswana responsible for advocating and lobbying for all economic sectors for conducive business environment.

www.hatab.bw
+2673957144

by Thato Morule, Policy Advocacy Manager