Africa-Press – Lesotho. Afriski and Lesotho Tourism Development Corporation (LTDC) collaborated to promote domestic tourism especially for Basotho to explore, visit places of attraction
in Lesotho as well as to become tourism ambassadors. Afriski is a mountain ski resort in Lesotho which had just celebrated 20 years of existence. The Lesotho Development Corporation embarked on a domestic tourism
campaign flaunted as “visit your country first”. The initiative is aimed at encouraging the citizens to explore places of attractions in Lesotho and it started
six years ago. During the press visit to the site, Afriski General Manager Vivienne Schultz explained that Afriski is a Lesotho business that pays tax, and contributes on everyone’s
salary. She said there is lack of tourism support and goodwill from the government of Lesotho, saying tourism is one of the basic things that bring money into the county.
“Basically you kill your own government if you kill tourism because you kill the opportunity for many salaries appointed into the government,” she continued. For
the benefit of the community Schultz mentioned that as Afriski they host unique Christmas parties for shepherds from the whole region, create subsidised children
programs for the brain to develop a whole different set of mind shift, having programs like entrepreneurial programs, youth entrepreneurial development and also of
help in starting businesses of their own. She explained that they are involved with the village of ‘Moteng. She said teenagers who were in the teenage entrepreneurial
program and children programs have graduated and are working during the season at Afriski and are given access to opportunities. Schultz has hired 180 local people
and offers 20% discount on everything for local people who visit the place. Lesotho Tourism Development Corporation (LTDC) Public Relations Officer Molapo Matela
explained that LTDC is tasked to market and promote international, local as well as regional tourism. He explained that domestic tourism encourages people
that instead of visiting other countries they should visit their own, which is Lesotho. He said tourism is one of the sectors identified by the government of
Lesotho that create jobs to alleviate poverty. Matela mentioned that the corporation sensitized tertiary institutions teaching travel, tourism and hospitality to visit Afriski.
He said those part taking in the tour are Industry-Based Certification (IBC), Limkokwing University of Creative Technology (LUCT) and Lerotholi Polytechnic.
He said when people visit Lesotho it means the revenue increases the country’s economy and creates employment. “For example at Afriski, the little that people leave helps people in terms of
jobs and the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the country increases. That is the whole initiative to see Lesotho growing and also becoming tourism ambassadorship,” explained Matela.
Limkokwing Tourism lecturer Limapa Likhama stated that places like Afriski are good places but the challenge is they are in the leads of foreigners. “As much as we say we
want investors, it is important that when they are here they should empower Basotho. Explaining some of the challenges on domestic tourism, Likhama said people do not have disposable
income and those who have do not understand tourism. “Tourism to Basotho is regarded as a waste of resources due to it being a new concept,” he noted.
He urged that the nation should be made aware that tourism is not a waste of resources but rather it is important, saying there are students who are already learning
tourism and it promotes tourism as well as other initiatives like to campaign for people to visit places like Afriski. He conveyed his gratitude to LTDC for the sponsor it gave to Limkokwing tourism students to explore and learn more on domestic tourism.
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