The Minister of Tourism, Environment and Culture says the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) has contributed a lot towards the development and upgrading of a sustainable tourism in the country.

Ms Lebohang Nts'inyi was officiating during the final draft report presented by the UNWTO consultant based on the support to Institutional and Capacity Strengthening of Tourism sector in Lesotho at an occasion held at the State Library on Thursday.

She said over the past years, Lesotho has been operating on a Tourism Development Plan of 1994, which needed to be adjusted and modified.

She showed that her Ministry therefore found it important to make amendments and it sought assistance from a UNWTO consultant, to review ways by which tourism could be improved in the country.

When presenting the final draft report, Mr Lionel Becherel of the UNWTO said in their findings, they found that factors constraining the tourism sector in Lesotho include inadequate infrastructure, transport and tourism facilities.

He therefore made a recommendation that if the country can improve its own air line services, tourists can visit the mountain kingdom in large numbers.

He showed that the Lesotho Tourism Development Corporation should recruit a senior Public Relations Officer who can be able to market tourism in the country and communicate with different people.

UNWTO started with their review in July this year and they performed their duty with stakeholders from LTDC, and UNDP and it is expected that the Ministry will consider the recommendations made, and implement them as a way to improve tourism in the country.

SOURCE: LENA