ABSTRACT
This chapter assesses social upliftment practices that have been adopted by tourism multinational companies in Botswana in order to contribute to sustainable livelihoods of tourism-dependent communities. The tourism sector, which is largely nature based, is the second largest revenue generator to mining in Botswana. At the same time, multinational companies have a large stake in driving the industry. Naturally, there would be a high expectation for the tourism industry to play a significant role in sustainable tourism, particularly with regards to poverty reduction and community development. Multinational tourism operators have a potential to contribute immensely in this regard through Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Corporate Social Investment (CSI). Hence a review of social upliftment practices by tourism multinational companies in Botswana is of paramount importance in order to inform policy accordingly. Research has proven that corporations that have a higher reputation of being socially responsible have a competitive advantage, as they contribute to sustainable tourism. Companies of all sizes, ranging from start-ups to large conglomerates, are therefore increasingly incorporating social and environmental initiatives into their strategies. While establishing and sustaining social initiatives require time, talent and resources, it is what investors, customers, employees and other stakeholders have come to demand in recent years. The sustainable tourism framework has been adopted to guide this study. Moreover, a qualitative research approach using the Content Analysis method was applied. Coding was done on the basis of a predetermined best practice reference list constructed using existing global practices customised for Botswana. The results show that a number of companies have adopted social upliftment practices ranging from partnerships with communities, investment in community projects, and investment in employee and community social welfare matters as well as contribution towards nationally defined development targets. The results further revealed that the MNC’s social upliftment practices were devoid of aspects that address community resilience to climate change, income inequalities and investments geared towards community livelihoods. Addressing these pressing issues would position the multinational companies in Botswana’s tourism sector to have a greater social impact, therefore contributing significantly towards the national sustainability agenda.
