… As he tours Ngwenya Glass, Ngwenya Mine, Malolotja and other tourist attraction places
… “This is good for our recovery strategy”- ETA CEO
… Positive for Eswatini image- Minister of Tourism and Environmental Affairs
BY PHUMELELE MKHONTA
MBABANE- The grand tour!
It seems Eswatini is increasingly becoming a hive of activity with regards to tourism and this is evident as the fourth and former President of Botswana, His Excellency Lieutenant General Dr Seretse Ian Khama, made it public that he visited tourist attraction sites in the country.
The former President, who has been in the country since early this week, revealed this on his official Facebook page this morning, where he stated that leading his tour was the Minister of Tourism and Environmental Affairs, Moses Vilakati.
However, Khama did not reveal the days in which he toured the different sites in the country.
“Hon. Moses M. Vilakati, Minister of Tourism and Environmental Affairs, led us on a tour of the Ngwenya Glass Factory, which only uses recycled glass. Each one is entirely handcrafted and mouth-blown.
“We also went to Ngwenya Mine, the world’s oldest iron ore mine, which is significant not only to the Swazi people but also to the history of early industrial development in the Southern African Region. The tour was completed with visits to the Malolotja Nature Reserve and the Maguga dam (verbatim),” read Khama’s Facebook post on his tour.
When sought for comment, Vilakati, the Minister of Tourism and Environmental Affairs, said he was honoured to take Khama for a tour in the interesting sites of the Kingdom of Eswatini.
“This is a positive for Eswatini. It is evident that we will attract more tourists through his approval which he showed by posting,” briefly commented Vilakati.
Eswatini Tourism Authority (ETA) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Linda Nxumalo shared the minister’s sentiments, saying this was proof that Eswatini had hidden gems- in as far as tourism was concern.
“There is a lot that people can do in Eswatini and there is a lot that the country has to offer.
“The former President’s tour ties in well with the recovery strategy which propels us to target the SADC Region and the continent itself,” said the CEO.
SADC is the acronym for Southern African Development Community.
She went on to say it was important for Eswatini to be appreciated by its neighbouring countries because they would then have linkages. Nxumalo said linkages encouraged people to come to Eswatini even if they were visiting neighbouring countries like Botswana.
“What is tangible is East3Route Agreement and Tri-Land Agreement which deals with such issues,” commented the ETA CEO.
The former Botswana President is no stranger in the country as he has been spotted on different occasions in the past couple of years.
Some Social Media Comments (Verbatim):
Comment 1: Glass Blowing is an art that has stood the test of time despite modern advancements in glass making. It’s always a marvel to watch the manufacturing process. The end product is decorative in nature than for everyday use, but the process is always a marvel to look at.
Comment 2: The General Himself, Absolutely amazing. May God continue Protect you SKI.
Comment 3: Absolutely amazing….we are represented my king continue the good jobs.
Comment 4: That’s the only former president who knows how to socialize, mmabatho mmadinotshe, father of the nation General Khama, God is my witness.
