07 Nov 2017

Hospitality in terms of lodging in Gumare is growing given the number and standard of emerging facilities.

On November 4, a new lodge dubbed Makgovango Luxury Inn was officially opened by Assistant Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry, Mr Biggie Butale.

The luxury inn boasts a 10-roomed facility with seven standard rooms, two executive rooms and other complementary amenities.

There is also a conference room with 120 sitting capacity, a thatched sitting area of 60 people and a boundary wall.

The facility has risen to the challenge of reducing unemployment as it employs 15 people, 13 of whom are youth.

Speaking at the opening, Mr Butale commended the facility owners for demonstrating that they embraced the spirit of entrepreneurship.

He noted that government was committed to addressing the development challenges of poverty and unemployment.

“Due to these emerging challenges, it is pertinent that we continue to complement each other to transform our economy to be counted among the best in the world. We have committed in Vision 2036 to grow and transform our economy to become a high income country, hence our task as a nation is huge and requires our concerted efforts such as the one we are gathered to witness,” he said.

He said it was for the reason that government continued to develop and implement policies, strategies and programmes to support enterprises in Botswana.

Some of the initiatives within his ministry, Mr Butale said, included the industrial development policy, entrepreneurship policy, economic diversification drive and strategy and enterprise development programmes.

Meanwhile, one of the owners of Makgovango, Ms Chowela Boikanyo said the idea came about upon the realisation of shortage of accommodation in the area.

Ms Boikanyo, who came to Gumare in 2011 as a civil servant, said the project was conceptualised in 2015, and that the Local Enterprise Authority (LEA) was instrumental in ensuring that it came to fruition by imparting the necessary advisory and mentoring skills.

She said LEA played the advisory and mentoring role while CEDA was pivotal in providing financial and technical support.

Ms Boikanyo said the facility’s revenue was P320 000 per month, and that their customers were mainly government employees.

She also said Makgovango had been operating for three months with an average occupancy rate of almost 70 per cent. ENDS