Mining and Travel Review is a Botswana based online publication targeted at the tourism and mining industries, which are the two biggest contributors to the country’s GDP.
The project was conceived in 2013 in response to the growing needs of the consumers and the changing media landscape in Botswana where traditional media like newspapers and radio are feeling competition from the internet.
Equally, the publication was born out of the realisation that the two industries do not have a platform although they are what Botswana is today. The two industries employ thousands of people in the remotest and far areas of the country.
Mining and Travel Review is a new concept in Botswana whereby the publishers are taking advantage of the marginalisation and under-reporting of the said industries.
Botswana is currently undergoing transformation whereby the process of full De Beers’ relocation from London to Gaborone is underway. The P40 billion sales, trading and marketing of diamonds is finally coming to Botswana.
There is a new wave of diversification in the mining industry whereby exploration, junior miners and majors are concentrating their resources in Botswana to scour for copper, uranium, coal and Mining and Travel Review wants to be part of that.
Equally, government is investing resources into development financial institutions to fund projects in tourism and the publication will want to partner with such projects.
Tourism and mining industries are not given prominence in the mainstream media and that is the market we want to tap into. Mining and Travel Review is also taking advantage of the growth in internet usage in the country where the use of smart phones have combined pleasure and business and consumers of online products will want to conduct business over the internet.
The publication is relatively new, but it is already attracting readership from around the world. It is estimated that 2 million tourists visit Botswana annually and we will endeavor to help promoters of the country’s product to expose the country to more people who may not be aware of the country. Botswana is world largest producer of rough diamonds and yet, the country is not known globally.
With the arrival of Mining and Travel Review, Botswana has found a partner.