Exceeds pre-COVID levels
key supply chain relationships. Unfortunately, this was not common practice for many of our competitors.
At the return of international travel, many of these supply chain partners, whom we had embraced and protected during the tough times, dedicated their loyalty to our brands. This has substantially aided our occupancies post-COVID and we be
lieve that the trust and support relationships within our supply chain will strengthen even further in years to come.
Mmegi:
Looking forward, what investments, if any, does Chobe Holdings have lined up in terms of revamping existing assets or expanding the portfolio? Odumetse:
A key contributor to the Chobe Holdings business practice has always been our constant investment in the upkeep of our properties and equipment and the strategic addition of new products and services to grow our overall business performance.
We are extremely proud of the tourism services we have to offer our market and know that the quality of our offering ranks amongst some of the top on a global level.
Our investment in ensuring the upkeep, refurbishment, rebuilding, and new acquisitions of products are ongoing. In recent years we have effectively and entirely rebuilt, Camp Okavango, Camp Moremi, Dinaka, Shinde, and Shinde Footsteps.
We have had major refurbishments at Chobe Game Lodge, Leroo La Tau, Kanana, Camp Xakanaxa, and Okuti. Currently, we are invested in a full rebuild of Savute Safari Lodge, which will reopen as brand new in June 2024 and have some substantial refurbishments happening at Nxamaseri. Investment in equipment, vehicles, and aircraft has also been substantial.
Mmegi: Please shed more light on the efforts Chobe is making to ‘green’ its activities and assets.
Odumetse: As an organisation, we have a full understanding that the protection of our natural environment is crucial to the survival of our business and the natural environment access for future generations. We do not own what makes our destination attractive to those who visit; we have been given the privilege to build and operate our products within it. If we do not make every effort to do so ethically and sustainably, we contribute hugely to our future demise.
Chobe Holdings strives to remain the leader in environmentally sustainable tourism in the region, if not on a global level. All camps and lodges owned and operated by Chobe Holdings subsidiaries have valid Environmental Authorisations, and the company has a demonstrable record of adhering to authorisation conditions.
As a group, Chobe Holdings is a trailblazer, not only within Botswana and in the region but more so on a global tourism level in terms of initiatives and practices which have substantially decreased the effects of its operations on the environment. ‘Greening’ appears to be a new hot topic, but for Chobe Holdings, this has been part of daily practice for years.
The implementation of electric vehicles and boats for guest activities at Chobe Game Lodge has been in effect for over 10 years. The investment in full solar systems at the majority of the remote camps has already been completed and plans to convert all of Chobe Holdings properties to sustainable power are in planning.
Compliance with water rights is monitored daily through daily water readings and the implementation of water-saving measures. Most camps have Sewage Treatment Plants which ensure that the water that is released into the environment meets the required standards. In addition, all treated effluent is tested every six months to verify the effectiveness of the treatment process. Routine post-authorisation environmental audits are also being undertaken to ensure independent evaluation of the sustainability of camp operations. All initiatives include subscribing to ecotourism standards by the Botswana Tourism Organisation and staying ahead of any prescribed government compliance standards.
Chobe Holdings has a dedicated environmental team of well-qualified individuals. Training on various courses of environmental relevance is carried out every year. The most recent being Health and Safety training for camp management and maintenance personnel. Environmental awareness talks across camps are held regularly to ensure that all employees are on board towards sustainability targets and that this does not just relate to their daily work lives but ensures that awareness and initiatives are taken home to families and communities as well.
Understanding the larger impact of tourism activities on the global environment, many key and unique initiatives are part of Chobe Holdings’ daily functioning. In terms of waste generation, in addition to daily weighing, which allows the company to monitor and control waste, composting of all organic waste is undertaken. All inorganic waste is recycled through licensed waste carriers, thus, eliminating the dumping of waste at landfills. Although these initiatives may appear small and insignificant to most, the efforts have already proven hugely valuable in staying abreast of, and innovating what the industry standards should be.
Education plays a vital role in all sustainable efforts and to ensure that we invest in this, from the grassroots level, with the longterm goal focused on the next generations to come, Chobe Holdings’ commitment and investment in numerous schools, and childbased charities allows for the company to initiate and implement a sustainable mentality in the future. Grassroots participation in environmental conservation as well as community beneficiation towards social uplifting is a priority for the organisation.