The Federal Republic of Germany on Thursday donated close to 1.4 million U.S. dollars (16,296,409 pula) to Botswana’s Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources Conservation and Tourism in Gaborone, to support the tourism sector which has been adversely affected by COVID-19 pandemic.
   Speaking at the event, Philda Kereng, Minister of Environment, Natural Resources Conservation and Tourism, said all sectors were affected by the pandemic with tourism being the hardest hit because of its reliance on physical interaction between people from all corners of the world as well as travel restrictions.
   A study conducted by the Botswana Tourism Organization estimated that 300 million U.S. dollars has been lost in revenue due to the pandemic, Kereng stated.
   For her part, Katja Nolte, acting ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany said the funds will go towards the protection of the tourism sector in the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area(KAZA TFCA) region.
   “I am grateful that we are supporting the tourism sector and supporting the people that are struggling. I sincerely hope that soon the tourists from all around the world will be able to come back here and enjoy the beauties of Botswana and the wonderful warm hospitality of its people as much as I have been and continue to do,”added Nolte. (Xinhua)