Botswana president Ian Khama meets German Chancellor Merkel ahead of international tourism fair

Botswana president Seretse Khama Ian Khama was received in Berlin on Tuesday by German Chancellor, Angela Merkel.

The two leaders held talks one day before the African country co-hosts this year’s Berlin International Tourism Fair, ITB.

The expo will be held form 8-12 March and the spotlight will be on the partner country Botswana, which has been a regular exhibitor at ITB Berlin since 1983.

But, visitors to the world’s biggest travel fair, are threatened to be affected by a strike of baggage handlers and security personnel at both of Berlin’s airports from Wednesday, due to union demands of a wage increase of one euro to twelve euros per hour for the more than 2,000 ground personnel .

Over 100,000 visitors are expected to visit the international trade expo which comes at a time that the internatinal tourism industry is facing a myriad of challenges.

According to Reuters, Khama’s visit to Germany also coincided with reports that Botswana sought to attract investors to a mining town with tax cuts.

Africa’s largest diamond producer will cut corporate tax by up to 77 percent for investors in a mining town southeast of the capital, the trade and industry minister said on Tuesday, part of a package to attract them to a region hit by the collapse of state-owned BCL Mine.

The mine was put under liquidation in October last year resulting to the loss of nearly 8,000 jobs.