Mimi Machakaire
LESOTHO Tourism Development Corporation (LTDC) recently took their cleaning campaign to the Leribe district as they stepped up efforts to turn the country into a clean and attractive tourist destination.
LTDC Public Relations Officer, Molapo Matela, said Leribe was one of the districts which was faced with the challenge of excessive littering hence the clean-up campaign.
“One of the biggest challenges is littering,” Mr Matela said, adding, “Littering is one of the factors that could potentially destroy Lesotho as a tourism destination”.
“We embarked on this campaign to encourage Basotho people and we have a Sesotho saying, boloka Lesotho le hloekile which means ‘keep Lesotho clean.”
The campaign in being held as part of the build-up to the Tourism Month celebrations which will culminate in the World Tourism Day commemorations which are celebrated annually on 27 September in member states of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO).
The UNWTO designated the World Tourism Day in 1979 to foster awareness of the importance of tourism and its social, cultural, political and economic value.
Queen ‘Masenate Mohato Seeiso has previously expressed concern over the general pollution in most communities, adding Basotho needed to take responsibility and do their part to make the country cleaner.
Mr Matela also said that the LTDC was keen to ensure that local communities benefited from tourism hence they encouraged people to venture into those small businesses which do not require a huge outlay of capital.
He said that communities could even come up with initiatives to provide accommodation and a cultural experience to tourists in the rural areas to generate income.
Meanwhile, the LTDC sponsored a tourism competition in Khubetsoana in Maseru on Friday to encourage high school learners to learn more about tourism and the opportunities it offered for business and economic growth.
Sekonyela High School came first in the competition which also featured St Stephens, Assumption and Likuena high schools.
The schools received trophies and medals.