V&L TOURISM PLANNING REACHING NEW HEIGHTS - CONCESSION OPPORTUNITY AVAILABLE IN THE LESOTHO HIGHLANDS

Have you ever felt as though you were the only person on earth, isolated and at peace with nature? A cool breeze blowing from behind you, carrying your troubles away into the mountains... The grass around your feet dancing to the tune of a tranquil, yet harsh environment... In the distance, a  bearded vulture makes its way through the sharp, blue skyline, leaving you envious of his carefree life.

This is just one of the many inspiring scenes which two members of the V&L team, Dereck Milburn and Craig Gebhardt, had the privilege of experiencing during a site visit to the Sehlabathebe National Park in eastern Lesotho.

The 6 500ha Sehlabathebe National Park is located in the Eastern Highlands of the Mountain Kingdom of Lesotho and is the only proclaimed National Park in the country. The Park forms the southernmost section of the Maloti Drakensburg Transfrontier Conservation Area where it shares a 12 km intersection on the border with uKhahlamba Drakensburg Park – World Heritage Site (UDP-WHS) in South Africa.

With picturesque views of sandstone outcrops, wetlands and grasslands, the sense of place of the Sehlabathebe National Park is unquestionably unique.

V&L Landscape Architects had previously assisted the Peace Parks Foundation in the development of a Tourism Master Plan for the Park in 2006. This Master Plan identified numerous unique opportunities in the park. In 2007, the World Bank funded the construction of one of the R 35 million, Sehlabathebe National Park Heritage Centre, a facility which is geared for the purposes of environmental education and training. This facility is now complete but not yet operational.

With the aim of getting the Heritage Centre operational, the Lesotho Tourism Development Corporation (LTDC) has appointed V&L to assist with identifying a short term operator.

This is the first phase in the roll-out of tourism concessions in Sehlabathebe National Park in line with the tourism masterplan.

The LTDC contracted V&L to undertake an assessment of the Heritage Centre and determine the potential of the facility as a concession opportunity. This showed that the newly built Heritage Centre provides an attractive business opportunity for the development of a unique ecotourism/conservation/heritage training facility located in a remote and pristine environment. 

Although the design of the facility is firmly aimed at educational purposes, a small component of the facility could be considered for use as basic self-catering overnight accommodation.

V&L have since initiated a solicitation process in an effort to identify an appropriate training operator to fulfil the role as a short term operator of the Heritage Centre for a period of three years, extendable by two. This concession is structured as a short term opportunity as it will be reassessed once the other concession opportunities identified in the park are offered for tender. The short term operator will however have the first right of offer to extend the operational contract of the Heritage Centre at that point.

In addition, the LTDC expects the concessionaire to play an active role in the promotion of Lesotho as a unique destination through the provision of quality promotional materials in print and via electronic media.

Close cooperation with the community situated around the national park is expected from the prospective operator. The incorporation of the rich Basotho culture as part of the training experience through visits and interaction with the neighbouring communities in a respectful and meaningful way is encouraged. It is further expected that human resources for staff operations are selected and trained from among local residents and that income generating opportunities through the provision of products and services to the Centre operation are encouraged. 

If you feel that operating a facility of this nature in a breathtaking environment is your calling, please do not hesitate to review the Background Information Document (available here - 3Mb) and provide us with the relevant Expressions of Interest forms by the 30^th August 2010.