The 50-bedroomed four-star facility will take 14 months to be completed and is scheduled to be open by the end of 2023.
Speaking during the groundbreaking ceremony yesterday, Cresta Marakanelo Managing Director, Mokwena Morulane, said the development would enhance Cresta’s brand and would be a significant statement of recognition of the hotel group’s status as an important player in the hospitality and tourism sector.
“The development demonstrates our commitment to expanding our hospitality investments, creating employment opportunities for Batswana and profiling the town of Jwaneng better,” he said.
For his part, the acting Minister of Environment and Tourism, Setlhabelo Modukanele said that both Cresta and DPF have a long-standing partnership as Cresta is currently the tenant of the existing Jwaneng Cresta Hotel owned by DPF. He said the project will create jobs during construction and operation.
“The partnership will contribute to the growth and development of the tourism sector in Botswana and the sector holds immense potential in terms of job creation because of its ability to stimulate growth in other sectors linked to travel and tourism,” he said.
Further, he said the presence of accommodation in tourist destinations provides a potentially valuable source of business for local suppliers to the tourism or related sectors, while also contributing to the public funding base. It also increases the opportunity to attract tourists to stay in a destination, which ultimately leads to further tourist expenditure and additional business for other commercial entities in the local area.
“This investment is in line with the revised tourism policy whose aim is to position Botswana as a tourist destination of choice by the year 2030 and beyond by elevating the recognition of tourism as a priority growth area and aggressively developing and promoting the sector,” he said.
Jwaneng is the gateway town into the Kalahari and this location is expected to provide Cresta Boutique Hotel with great business opportunities while contributing to the rebuilding of the tourism sector in Botswana.
