Since inception, how has the Lesotho Tourism Development Corporation developed and progressed in terms of its key objectives and the messages it tries to get across?
LTDC has been implementing a number of strategies, including the development of the National Tourism Brand, which is built upon Lesotho’s natural and cultural signature attributes. As part of quality assurance measures, LTDC has also implemented a Quality Star grading programme for local accommodation facilities.
Continuous training and strengthening of the private sector as the main role player in tourism development in Lesotho is also on the cards, together with promotion of community participation in tourism initiatives.
To date, a significant number of local tour guides have been trained and are showing remarkable progress in the tour operation business.
Why, in your opinion, should someone visit Lesotho?
Lesotho is famous for its spectacular scenic beauty, branded by breath-taking mountain ranges, towering peaks, a rich variety of flora and fauna, crystal clear streams, surging waterfalls, diverse culture and a snow blanket seen high in the mountains across the country in winter.
Travellers should visit our beautiful kingdom in the sky because it has a myriad of activities for adventurers, cultural enthusiasts, sportspeople and academics. The mountains, landscape and high altitude lure bikers, 4X4 riders and hikers to explore them in search of adrenaline teasing challenges and adventure.
In the southern part of the country, the Maluti Drakensburg Transfrontier Park forms part of the itinerary for any visitor to Lesotho, offering majestic scenery and a wide variety of flora and fauna. The waters of Lesotho also allow for canoeing, boating and fishing among a hive of other activities.
Lesotho is also a hub for a variety of interesting handmade crafts which make rare and beautiful souvenirs, most of them inspired by Basotho culture and iconic natural attractions found across the country.
Those who wish to explore routes on foot and experience the Basotho culture and the simple charms of our local traditional hospitality will also find what they are looking for. The traditional home-cooked dishes coupled with cultural stories told by our local guides and native Basotho people will leave you in awe and stay with you forever.
What trends are transforming the tourism industry in Lesotho at present? How are you responding to these trends?
The figures indicate that between 2014 and 2018 tourism receipts rose by 30 percent, while investment in accommodation alone has increased by 20 percent.
A remarkable positive trend is also transforming the industry in terms of domestic tourism awareness. For the third year, we are busy promoting domestic tourism and more spending at local attractions. This has been made possible by implementation of the national tourism campaign dubbed “visit your country first”, which seeks to encourage Basotho to travel more around Lesotho.
We are also currently involved in crafting and revision of the tourism policy in support of the private sector in their different tourism related business operations.
How do you see Lesotho developing as a business travel hub over the next year to two years?
The advent of mega international events such as the famous LETOFE, Maletsunyane Braai Festival and others which attract visitors from the majority of Southern African neighbouring countries is a true reflection of the fact that Lesotho is making significant strides in becoming a travel business hub.
Together with new investments in accommodation facilities, shopping and business facilities across the country, we believe Lesotho will begin to enjoy the benefits of these developments in the next couple of years and beyond. We probably need to copy and learn from the best practices of other countries such as Rwanda in promoting the MICE sector as a niche market for tourism promotion in Lesotho.
In recent years, we have also seen the birth of an all business expo which occurs at one of the districts in Lesotho, and we are noting a remarkable growth and believe that through this initiative, the business fraternity will realise much needed success in the coming years.
Are there any plans or projects in the pipeline that you wish to highlight?
The main aim is to continue creating awareness about Lesotho’s tourism product offering locally and internationally through our brand identity, as well as to promote it as an investment hub. As mentioned earlier, we are currently working on the tourism policy, which aims to iron out all bottlenecks.
With the new airport refurbishment/upgrade project in the pipeline, we are also looking forward to increased business opportunities, since business and other travellers will be able to connect directly to Lesotho without having to pass through OR Tambo in South Africa. The new developments at the Lesotho Highlands Water Project further offers massive opportunities for tourism and other business investments.
We are also excited about the Semonkong Visitor Comfort Facility, which is nearly complete. Through this facility we aim to make Semonkong a hub for community led tourism with the possibility for the growth of other sectors such as agriculture. Current road construction projects such as the building of a road from one of the southern towns, Qacha’s Nek and our flagship National Park, Sehlabathebe, is also worth noting – it will open doors for tourism growth and investment in the area.
Are you optimistic about the future of the tourism industry in Lesotho?
In partnership with our hospitality sector, the QUALStar Grading Program is growing steadily – we are aiming to offer quality services that resonate with those offered in the international space. We will continue to promote our brand and encourage travellers to hear our stories and what Lesotho offers for tourists.
With the fourth industrial revolution in place, we have sought to embrace technology and innovation in our marketing strategies, evident from the tourism mobile app Lesotho Guider, whose main purpose is to make tourism information services and other related information easily accessible to travellers.
Lesotho has a great story to tell as a destination and we are looking forward to welcoming more visitors whom we believe, based on their experiences in our beautiful kingdom, will amplify our message to the world – so yes, we are very optimistic about the tourism industry in Lesotho.