Tokelo Khausela
THE Lesotho Tourism Development Corporation (LTDC) has partnered with local events management company, Xperisense, to host the Gin and Trout Lesotho Festival.
The event will take place on 3 and 4 December 2022. It will be held at Khutsong Lodge in Thaba Bosiu.
Speaking at a recent media briefing, LTDC Head of Strategic, Marketing, Monitoring and Evaluation, Tebello Thola, said they were collaborating with the private sector to promote tourism.
“When the private sector works with us and pay their levy accordingly, it will enable us to collect enough funds to promote tourism without having to rely on the government,” Mr Thola said.
The government last month introduced a tourism levy. It will be used to promote and market Lesotho as a tourism destination.
Guest houses, tour operators and event organisers are expected to channel 1, 5 percent of each booking towards the levy while travel agents are supposed to contribute M50 to the levy for each booking.
Mr Thola said tourism is important as it boosts the economy and help uplift the livelihoods of Basotho.
This will be the second time the festival is being celebrated since its inception in 2019. It did not take place in 2020 and last year because of Covid-19 lockdown restrictions, he said.
Gin and Trout Festival founder, Tsokolo Makeka, said events like these had potential to contribute to tourism’s value-chain.
He said trout fishing had gained momentum in Lesotho over the years due to growing demand.
“Japan is now the country’s major importer of trout. They are now substituting salmon fish with trout to make sushi.
“We are also encouraging Basotho to showcase their cooking skills with trout.”
Hosting the event at Khutsong Lodge would give its employees an opportunity to earn extra income.
Mr Makeka said they have been promoting the event in Lesotho and at this year’s Cherry Festival in the Free State, South Africa.
About 750 people attended the debut festival in 2019 and the organisers expect more this year.
“The festival was a success. We are anticipating more people this year as Covid-19 restrictions have been uplifted by the government,” he said.
To boost the creative sector, the organisers have also invited artists to display their crafts.
“I would like to see Lesotho hosting big cultural events that benefit the community, like Macufe (Mangaung African Cultural Festival) in Bloemfontein.”
Khutsong Lodge administrator, Naleli T’sebeletso, said they have wildlife such as zebras and wildebeest that tourists can come to see.
“We are preserving wildlife to attract tourists. We also have beautiful scenery and mountains,” said Ms T’sebeletso.
