Nthatuoa Koeshe
A GROUP of women from the tourism sector will tomorrow host a Tourism Cocktail Night as part of the inaugural Women in Tourism Indaba Lesotho which starts today and ends on Saturday at ‘Manthabiseng Convention Centre in Maseru.
The cocktail will have performances from artistes like Afro jazz singer Maleh (born Malehloka Hlalele) and famo musician Puseletso Seema.
There will be presentations from women in business such as ‘Masekhata Moroahae, Rethabile Sekhila and Futho Letsatsi, who will tackle different topics on tourism.
Founder of Women in Tourism Indaba Lesotho, Pulane Moshoeshoe said all speakers are tourism players who will different topics among them challenges faced by women in the sector.
She said the event is also meant for tourism networking, skills sharing, specialty presentations and motivational sessions which will feature local and international business women.
“The speakers are in tourism businesses and they will talk about issues such as environment, challenges women face in business and how they can overcome those challenges and tourism in general,” Moshoeshoe said.
“In the true spirit of Women’s Month which falls in August and in cognisance of the value of women in our lives, it is fitting that we give Women in Tourism Indaba Lesotho the value it deserves.”
She said the indaba is also aimed at exploring all opportunities existing within the local and international tourism sector for the mutual benefit of all stakeholders.
“There are many women who are already in the tourism sector but are unaware, so we want to also inform them about tourism and the different sectors in it.
“Mma ngoana o tsoara thipa ka bohaleng (a woman holds a knife by the edge) so goes an old Sesotho saying that expresses the strength of a woman in handling and dealing with pertinent issues of society.
“Most local accommodation facilities are run by women and that is what motivated us to celebrate them with this event,” she said.
She said they have also invited students from institutions of higher learning in Lesotho to be present at the cocktail.
Puseletso said after the event, they intend to travel around the country to educate people about tourism and how they aid the growth of the sector.
“There are several unemployed people who do not know that they can be tour guides and get income and these are some of the issues that we want to explore at the cocktail,” Puseletso said.
