By Winifred Bulus
Botswana has introduced a $30 tax on tourist in order to raise money to presever its safari.
The levi is termed Tourist Development Levi (TDL).
This was declared by the Botswana Tourism Organisation (BTO) also declared that the fee is to be paid by tourists at the Botswana airport from June.
The organization explained that the tax exclude15 countries which are members of the Southern African Development Community (SADC).
“The levy is purposed to support the growth of the industry and broaden the tourism base, resultantly improving the lives of the people of Botswana.
“The objective of the levy is to raise funds for conservation and national tourism development in order to support the growth of the industry and broaden the tourism base,” the organization said.
The Hospitality and Tourism Association of Botswana (HATAB) had laid a complained in respect to the decision in the last year for not being involved in the charges.
The TDL according to the Botswana Tourism Organisation (BTO) can be paid in cash, debit and credit card.
The organization said a receipt would be issued to the tourist and is to be presented by the tourist to immigration officials, adding that the TDL stamp would be valid for 30 days and could be used for multiple entries.
British visitors to Botswana are allowed to stay in the country for up to 90 days without a visa as 42,000 out of the 1.6 million tourists who visit Botswana are British.
Botswana has one of the best tourist centres in the world and a long history of wildlife conservation and a home to numerous animals including giraffes, cheetahs, hyenas and wild dogs.
