By Neo Kolane
Tourism, sports, arts and culture minister, Motlatsi Maqelepo says challenges that hinder the tourism sector are to be presented before the portfolio committee on the economic and development cluster.
Maqelepo said this at the Tourism Lekhotla on Wednesday this week at ‘Manthabiseng Convention Centre.
The consultative meeting is led by the ministry of tourism, sports, arts and culture, and the Lesotho Tourism Development Corporation. It aims to create a platform for an open constructive dialogue between the government and the private sector with a view to grow tourism business and to inform tourism business reforms.
According to Maqepelo, the hindrances include poor roads leading to tourist attractions, lack of adequate security services, and availability of utilities such as water and electricity.
He said the COVID-19 pandemic had also left tourism enterprises limping, with some still to attain their previous business operations levels.
“This calls for change in the way things were done to help resuscitate the tourism and hospitality sector,” he noted.
Maqepelo added that tourism has been identified as one of the key economic sector drivers, hence they were given an opportunity to present to the portfolio committee on how other ministries like works and local government can assist to improve the industry.
The minister said tourism could play a pivotal role to create jobs and improve the economy.
He urged different stakeholders to come together and address challenges affecting tourism in the country.
“We need to develop a strategic plan and to come up a website to promote this sector.
“The government has explained that the private sector needs to lead when it comes to tourism, but for this to happen, we have to level the playing field first,” Maqelepo said.
This would be done by introducing laws and policies to ease the creation of jobs and ensure services such as electricity and water are readily available.
A modern and well-equipped airport is also urgently needed, Maqelepo indicated.
He stressed that relevant stakeholders’ need to hold hands with the government to showcase Lesotho as an attractive tourism destination.
The director of tourism, ‘Mabolaoane Selinyane, said Lesotho needs to come up with a national tourism development masterplan.
This would provide direction to the development and diversification of products, preservation of culture and heritage, community participation, and involvement of the private sector. The masterplan will also provide guidance on infrastructure development as well as marketing and promotion strategies.
