First National Bank of Botswana (FNB Botswana) and Africa’s Eden Tourism have announced a strategic collaboration aimed at supporting tourism businesses, strengthening the sector, and improving access to financial solutions across Southern Africa. Africa’s Eden Tourism is a regional tourism association representing Angola, Botswana, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. The organisation focuses on growing tourism across Southern Africa through cross-border collaboration, market access, and sustainable practices, while creating opportunities for its members to connect, promote, and scale their businesses.
This collaboration sees FNB Botswana come on board as the Strategic Banking Partner to Africa’s Eden Tourism, reinforcing the Bank’s commitment to one of the region’s most important economic sectors. Together, the two organisations will work to support tourism businesses with relevant financial tools, improved access to banking solutions, and greater industry engagement.
Through this agreement, FNB Botswana will engage more closely with tourism businesses across the region via Africa’s Eden Tourism’s network. This will include participation in industry discussions, workshops, and events focused on financial resilience, cross-border transactions, and practical banking solutions for tourism operators.
Dr. Lone Nthobelang, Dealmaker Tourism at FNB Botswana, said: “Tourism remains one of the most powerful engines for economic growth and regional integration across Southern Africa. Our partnership with Africa’s Eden Tourism allows us to engage more directly with tourism operators across the region, providing financial solutions that enable businesses to grow, trade across borders, and build resilient enterprises. The Bank views this collaboration as an opportunity to deepen our role as a strategic partner to the tourism sector and to support the entrepreneurs driving the industry forward.”
The collaboration will also include joint marketing initiatives, webinars, and knowledge-sharing platforms designed to address key challenges faced by tourism businesses. A strong focus will be placed on supporting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMMEs), including mentorship programmes and guidance to help startups and growing businesses build resilience, improve financial literacy, and scale sustainably.
The collaboration will also include joint marketing initiatives, webinars, and knowledge-sharing platforms designed to address key challenges faced by tourism businesses. A strong focus will be placed on supporting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMMEs), including mentorship programmes and guidance to help startups and growing businesses build resilience, improve financial literacy, and scale sustainably. Africa’s Eden Tourism already maintains its operational banking relationship with FNB Botswana, and this agreement builds on an existing foundation of trust and collaboration between the two organisations.
Jillian Blackbeard, CEO of Africa’s Eden Tourism, said: “We are delighted to be strengthening our relationship with FNB Botswana in a way that directly supports our members and the wider tourism industry. Access to the right financial tools and guidance is critical for businesses looking to grow and adapt in today’s environment. We are particularly excited to see the mentorship opportunities this collaboration will unlock for startups and SMMEs across our region.
”This collaboration reflects a shared commitment to building a stronger, more inclusive tourism sector; one driven by practical support, collaboration, and long-term growth.As the African proverb reminds us: “If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together.”
