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On Thursday evening, March 19th, Botswana Tourism Board sponsored a reception and preview screening of the making of the pilot film, The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency, for over 150 tour operators and travel agents who sell Botswana, travel media executives, Botswana Embassy officers, friends of Botswana, HBO executives, and Alexander McCall Smith at HBO headquarters in New York City. The new television series, premiering March 29, 2009, is adapted from the best-selling novels by author Alexander McCall Smith, and was entirely filmed on location in Botswana.
The event highlighted Botswana Tourism Board’s partnership with HBO on the ‘No. 1 Ladies’ consumer promotion and contest, which runs through April 19th. The campaign encourages people to nominate their "No. 1 Lady" – a woman who, like the book’s heroine Precious Ramotswe – inspires and motivates others by the example she sets in her everyday life. Five grand prize winners will receive a trip for two to Botswana courtesy of Botswana Tourism Board and its campaign partners: South African Airways, Air Botswana, The Grand Palm Resort and Casino, Desert & Delta Safaris, Ker & Downey Botswana, Mashatu Game Reserve, and Wilderness Safaris.
Addressing the audience with brief remarks about the on the significance of producing the pilot film and the HBO series in Botswana, were the book’s author, Alexander McCall Smith, the Botswana Ambassador to the United States, H.E Lapologang C. Lekoa, the Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Mr. Charles Ntwaagae, and Paul Cohen, President of Partner Concepts, Botswana Tourism Board’s representation firm in North America.
An HBO interviewer asked Smith what made Botswana so special to him. "People often say when you visit Botswana that you are likely to be impressed by the spirituality of the place," he said. "Not in a religious sense, but just a sense of human spirituality, and spiritual possibilities. And you can’t help but be bowled over by the magnificence of the country, by the sense of being in this great natural theater of light, wonderful expanses of countryside and intense natural beauty. It’s very moving. It’s overwhelming. I fell in love with it."
David Cogswell, Executive Editor at TravelPulse.com, spoke with several executives representing the Botswana Tourism Board’s campaign prize partners at the event, all of whom were very happy about the new series and the Board’s promotional campaign partnership with HBO. All agreed the show, and the consumer contest to promote the HBO series, will elevate consumer awareness of Botswana and provide a timely and positive platform for promoting Botswana travel. The series will portray Botswana’s normal day-to-day life, the way a TV series like "Friends" does, with characters the audience can like and relate to, going through the dramas of their daily existence.
"Botswana is a stable, democratic country where women are empowered to make a difference. We are pleased to partner with HBO on this exciting consumer campaign in the USA, and are delighted that through the generosity of our prize partner suppliers, five lucky winners and their guests will experience the beauty and culture of Botswana firsthand. Not only will they tour the locations for The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series in Gaborone, they will enjoy an exciting safari adventure in this beautiful and welcoming country," says Leslee Hall of Partner Concepts, Botswana Tourism Board’s representative in North America. "We encourage everyone to participate in this inspirational contest, and to learn more about what makes Botswana such a special vacation destination in Africa."
In addition to the consumer campaign with HBO, Botswana Tourism Board is also conducting a trade campaign with TravelPulse.com throughout April to encourage travel agents to promote Botswana to their clients.
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
