Travel Lodge expands with new Conference Centre
Staff Writer | Friday December 2, 2016 15:38
The conference has a capacity of 800 people when seated with VIP boardrooms, recreation areas as well as a sophisticated bar and garden area. The new conference centre is equipped with state-of-the-art audiovisual equipment with acoustic designed ceilings. Speaking at the launch recently, Vice President Mokgweetsi Masisi said the new facility was a welcome development as the hospitality industry contributes not only to the economy but also job creation.
“Travelodge opened their doors to this new facility in April 2016 and employed 34 staff, to complement their already dedicated hard-workers. Travelodge has gone beyond the extra-mile to empower Batswana. Currently they have boosted their workforce from 68, to 106 to ensure proper service delivery,” Masisi said.
According to the Vice President, the lodge’s first franchise, Kasane Travel Lodge which will have 150 rooms, a restaurant, pool, bar and 200-seater conference centre is expected to be open for business next month noting that they have already started receiving bookings. In addition, he noted that the group also has plans to start the construction of another 54-roomed lodge in Gantsi once an environmental impact assessment (EIA) has been approved. The lodge is intended to serve the same market as the Gaborone and Kasane lodges.
Travel Lodge general manager, Cameron Thompson said they have identified a gap in the market which they intend to take advantage of.
“Looking at the business landscape in Botswana, the demand is very high and we believe that Travelodge will not only fill the gap in the market but it will help cement Gaborone’s established attractiveness as a conference destination,” Thompson stated.
In addition, he said they understand the longevity and sustainability of business travel and that the new conference centre and the refurbished hotel are generating a huge amount of interest from the industry. “We are experiencing a substantial number of enquiries and bookings are growing on a daily basis. Other developments at the lodge include an additional 31 bedrooms and a parking area that can now securely accommodate 300 cars at full capacity,” he said. Travel Lodge has 115 bedrooms with all the modern day amenities that include a gym and swimming pool for the in-house guests to enhance the guest experience at the lodge.