Women in Tourism Botswana Founder Wins International Award
Botswana’s Women in Tourism (WIT) founder Bokani Mathape has been Awarded a Pyne Award in absentia, under the Rising star of the year (Tourism) category. Mathape was up against some esteemed tourism professionals from across the African continent.
The Annual Pyne Awards were founded in Lagos, Nigeria and the United States and are a platform for bringing hospitality & tourism industry leaders together as well as celebrating brand excellence and individual achievements.
“I am humbled and honored to have been nominated and subsequently voted to win as Rising Star of the Year (Tourism) by The Pyne Awards 2022. This is not my win only, but a win for every single person who believed in me and for everyone in the tourism & hospitality industry and most importantly the members and associates of Women in Tourism Botswana. This was a remarkable way to celebrate World Tourism Month and a way to truly lament on this year’s hashtag #rethinkingtourism. I would like to congratulate all the nominees and winners, and to urge all of us continue to make our industry stronger by the day,” said Mathape.
According to Mathape, she founded Women in Tourism Botswana with the aim of creating a platform for women in the tourism & hospitality industry where they can engage and be empowered. She also wanted to create an ecosystem and linkages that will work for women in the tourism industry.
This year’s event celebrated a significant milestone in our history; it is our fifth anniversary, which ushers in participation from additional African countries, including Nigeria, Namibia, Botswana, Uganda, Mozambique, Senegal, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Chad, South Africa, Ghana, Eswatini, Rwanda, and Kenya.
The Awards have played a critical role in influencing and transforming the narrative of Africa’s service culture, attitudes, excellence, and business structures to align with international best practices and global standards.
