22 Mar 2020

Cancelled bookings and empty hotels characterise the hospitality industry in the midst of COVID-19 pandemic.   

Global travel has almost come to a standstill because many countries have banned entry of people from affected countries. 

Businesses in Letlhakane, especially the tourism and hospitality industry, have not been spared this agony since most of their clients are from outside the country.

Curve Guest House director, Ms Tlhomamiso Mogaetsho, said most of the bookings were cancelled from March 9.

She said most of her clients were from Canada, Europe, South Africa and Germany. The clients would have been tourists on transit to Maun and Kasane as well as business people visiting the mines.

“As of now, we do not have customers, we only have one room occupied, there is no business,” Ms Mogaetsho said.

She indicated that 15 rooms were usually occupied as monthly rent by business people visiting the mines and six rooms for the guest house.

Given the unpredictable COVID-19 situation, Ms Mogaetsho said her fear was challenges she might face with payment of staff salaries. 

She, however, said she had consulted the labour department in Letlhakane to seek advice and establish if there were programmes in place to cushion her business against COVID-19 effects.

She said one of the options she might consider was giving her employees half days to cut the wage bill. 

Mikelele Lodge manager, Ms Morwadi Tape, said they had 48 rooms, but only 26 were occupied. This, she said, was unusual since they were always 95 per cent full.

Ms Tape noted that most of the bookings were being cancelled, adding that conferences organised by government departments were also cancelled.

Similarly, Ms Irene Nyatanga of the Apple Guest house also stated that all the bookings had been cancelled.

Ms Nyatanga indicated that most of her customers were those visiting the mines while others vacated earlier than planned due to COVID-19. She said out of the 10 rooms, only three were occupied.

She also expressed fears that they might struggle to pay salaries for staff for the month of April.

Thakadu Hotel manager, Ms Mapula Kalane said they expected bookings to be low indicating that they only had seven rooms reserved for next week. ends