Miss Tourism Botswana billed for August

EUNICE MASIE
Correspondent | Tuesday June 11, 2013 00:00

The pageant, which is aimed at promoting Botswana to the global market, was established in 2012 and within 12 months it has recorded numerous achievements through its reigning queen.Speaking to Showbiz, event organisers Kgomotso Nyatshane and Naledi Charles, were both positive that this year's 'will be even bigger and better' because they intend to involve more sponsors so as to benefit both the pageant and the titleholder herself. Nyatshane said the aim of the pageant is to promote Botswana tourism to the outside market and make it a well-known brand.  ' Last year alone when we competed at the world finals, a lot of people were interested in knowing more about us. 

The memorabilia that we displayed fascinated a lot of the contests and we are very sure that this year - with the right queen - we stand a greater chance at either brining the title home or hosting the pageant in the near future,' Nyatshane said.She added that there is much that is still unknown about Botswana, and they aim at to promote the country to Batswana as well.  'There seems to be so much that is unknown, take for example the sand dunes in Khawa, a lot of people, including Batswana, do not know anything about the dunes; so this pageant will assist in making Botswana a well know brand,' she said.

Charles said that they are looking for a woman who is able to express herself well and sell her country to foreign nationals freely. 'We are looking for someone who knows Botswana and will be able to promote our culture and history to foreign nationals with ease,' she said.  She also said that the winner would engage in various activities countrywide. Although the pageant has been successful over the past year, the organisers say finances have been their major limitation, but are positive that the potential sponsors that have shown interest would give the pageant a new dimension.

'We already have a few companies that are sponsoring us but we are looking for more sponsors just so we are able to sustain the pageant as well as to motivate the reigning queen,' Nyatshane said.Nyatshane and Charles have much pride in the reigning queen Motamma Sesinyi whom they say has played a great role in making the pageant well-known as well  as keeping her fans well-informed about what Botswana has to offer.'Motamma is such an inspiring young lady, a queen who works hard at all costs.  She holds the pageant in the palm of her hands, constantly updating the website.  Whatever new information that comes to light on Botswana she makes sure that people know about it,' Nyatshane says.  Sesinyi is currently in the Big Brother Africa - The Chase competition where she stands a chance to win US300,000.

Auditions are due to kickstart across the country late this year and the finale has been programmed for August 30 at the Masa Centre while the global event will be held in Equatorial Guinea on October 12.  Nyatshane and Charles encourage young women to come for the auditions.'The competition is open to every Motswana girl aged 18-26, not married nor engaged, and have never had children,' Charles says.