Lesotho’s tourism sector, though brimming with potential, continues to suffer from major setbacks, notably the glaring failure by the authorities to effectively promote the country and its tourism offerings.
A new study has laid bare the troubling extent to which insufficient information and weak marketing efforts are stifling growth in this vital sector.
According to the Assessment of Travelers’ Perceptions and Awareness of Lesotho Tourism Products, a study conducted by the Lesotho Tourism Development Corporation (LTDC), the country’s tourism promotion agency, Lesotho is viewed as an attractive destination, capable of pulling more visitors from across the world.
Yet despite the country’s strong appeal, Lesotho remains under the radar for many potential tourists due to persistent and systemic failures in promoting its tourism assets.
Data gathered from tourists and tour operators at the 2025 World Travel Market Africa confirmed that Lesotho possesses major strengths: a vibrant culture, striking landscapes, and adventure activities that could position it as a major tourism player.
The study highlighted Afriski, Sani Top, Katse Dam and Thaba Bosiu among Lesotho’s popular attractions among the interviewed tourists and tour operators.
However, even with such unique offerings, tourists and operators consistently flagged major bottlenecks that hinder trip planning and destination consideration.
Chief among these was a sheer lack of accessible, accurate, and comprehensive information about Lesotho’s tourism products, a shortcoming that reflects badly on the LTDC.
“Insufficient information about tourism products and activities in Lesotho, general information about Lesotho, and no visa on arrival facility came out as the major challenges for planning a trip to Lesotho. Other significant challenges mentioned were the expensive visa application fees…” the study reported.
Furthermore, the majority of international tour operators indicated that they do not consider including Lesotho in their itineraries because they lack sufficient information to confidently sell Lesotho to their clients.
“The main reason for those who said they have not yet included Lesotho but may consider it was that they are still learning (40.9 percent) about product offerings in Lesotho, and that there is limited information (8.0 percent) about Lesotho tourism products.”
The report reveals that even among those who showed a willingness to consider Lesotho, there was a fundamental need for more structured, readily available information.
To address the problem, respondents emphasised the need for Lesotho to provide much more accessible information on tourism products across a wide range of platforms.
On its part, LTDC has admitted the need for drastic improvement. However, critics argue that such acknowledgements have been made before with little follow-up action.
“It is evident that there is potential for growth in the number of visitors to Lesotho; therefore, in marketing, the implication is that we need to develop sustainable destination marketing strategies that will allow us to tell the Lesotho story. This should include strengthening and empowering media houses to change the narrative on how the Lesotho story has been told. Basotho, as well, should become champions in telling their story.”
The study also cited broader systemic issues as compounding factors: the absence of visa-on-arrival and online visa application facilities, high visa application fees, lack of clarity around visa requirements, and unregulated accommodation prices.
Respondents concluded that without urgent reforms and a significantly increased investment in sustainable tourism infrastructure and marketing, Lesotho’s tourism will continue to underperform. They stressed the need for a concerted, multi-sectoral approach that includes public sector leadership and private sector collaboration.
A particularly alarming finding was that tourists currently visiting Lesotho tend to stay for very short periods, which limits the economic benefits of tourism.
“Generally, the most significant frequency of trips according to those who have visited Lesotho was once, regardless of whether it was in a year or after a while. Among those who visit annually, a significant number (36.2 percent) visited once and 34.5 percent visited twice while 29.3 percent visited three times. Of those who visit once in a while, the majority, adding up to 69.4 percent visited once while the rest (30.6 percent) visited twice.
Despite these challenges, the study also illuminated a silver lining. A majority of respondents expressed enthusiasm and positive impressions about Lesotho, describing the country as beautiful, peaceful, and culturally rich.
“A high level of excitement was noted among the respondents when asked about their impression of Lesotho, regardless of whether they have been to Lesotho or not. The prominent phrases that came out were that Lesotho is a beautiful, peaceful and amazing country, with excellent landscapes and refreshing views of mountains, rivers and waterfalls. Quite a significant number also indicated that they love Basotho culture.”
The study found that mountains (45.2 percent) and 4×4 treks (37.9 percent) were the main inspirations for travel to Lesotho. Sightseeing, scenery, and cultural experiences also ranked highly, although museums and events such as the ‘Maletsunyane Braai Festival were mentioned by fewer participants.
“The analysis in this report revealed that Lesotho is relatively appealing and has the potential to attract more visitors from across the world. The data collected and analysed reveal that consumers from various countries have a positive perception about the destination Lesotho and believe Lesotho can actually do better in tourism.
“Specifically, they pointed out culture, landscape, peace and adventure activities and the main attributes that pull visitors to Lesotho. It is evident from the data that there is potential for growth in the number of visitors to Lesotho.”
Lesotho’s tourism story is one filled with beauty and potential, but it remains a story still waiting to be told properly.
Authored by our expert team of writers and editors, with thorough research.
