Cresta Maun launches riverside dining experience
Lesedi Mkhutshwa | Monday September 22, 2025 10:42
During the launch, which attracted a number of stakeholders, Cresta Marakanelo Managing Director, Mokwena Morulane, said that many people visit Maun but do not stay as often as they should.
Morulane stated that residents in Maun have shared that the town is regarded as a gateway to the Okavango Delta.
He said that many international tourists use Maun as a springboard into the Delta without spending time and money in Maun.
Morulane added that part of the effort is to change this by bringing in activities to entertain tourists.
'Maun is popular during the festive season, particularly around December, but there are people who depend on tourism activities, and that should be happening throughout the year,' he said.
According to Morulane, part of what Cresta is trying to do is establish activities to promote tourism.
He noted that tourism and hospitality are the second-largest contributors to the country's GDP and that the mining sector's decline presents an opportunity for the government to support tourism.
Morulane emphasised that a deliberate effort is needed to promote tourism and hospitality, not just through hotel operations but through a national strategy.
He elaborated that this would make tourism and hospitality a main contributor to the GDP, creating sustainable jobs and enabling national projects to be funded.
Cresta operates 11 hotels in Botswana, including its flagship Mowana Hotel in Chobe, which offers a mix of leisure and business facilities.
Morulane noted that the business sector has been affected by the government's slowdown in expenditure due to the national coffers.
He stated that Cresta wants to promote the leisure segment and it has introduced twin beds for international guests, particularly from China, where group travel is common.
'We are trying to tap into the market of millions of people who are middle-class and want to travel. We also want to extend the peak period beyond May, June, and July and make tourism a year-round activity,' he explained.
He also highlighted the need to address visa issues that make it difficult for some nationals to visit Botswana.
Morulane noted that tourism and hospitality went through a difficult period during the COVID-19 era, but has shown resilience and recovery.
Cresta Maun Hotel General Manager, Cornelius Masubia, said that the night was a celebration of collaboration, vision, and shared purpose.
He praised the managing director's leadership and thanked the hotel reservation makers for their efforts in ensuring that every guest's experience begins with confidence and ends with delight.