Cresta Marakanelo has officially launched the riverside dinner experience at the Cresta Maun, a signature offering designed to blend hospitality innovation with sustainable tourism growth in Botswana’s tourism capital.
Cresta Marakanelo’s Managing Director Mokwena Morulane said the initiative responds to changing traveller preferences and new economic realities. The dinner experience was held recently at Cresta Maun where Morulane explained that the riverside dining and leisure excursions along the Thamalakane River are intended to keep visitors in Maun longer rather than treating the town as a mere transit point to the Okavango Delta.
“Our goal is to turn Maun into a destination, not just a gateway,” Morulane said. “By introducing activities like boat cruises, curated experiences and unique dining under the stars, we create reasons for tourists to stay and explore more.”
With government budgets under pressure, Morulane stressed the need for the hospitality industry to generate its own momentum. He said businesses such as Cresta must find revenue streams that both support operations and create jobs for the local community.
As part of that strategy, Cresta has partnered with Moremi Game Reserve to offer combined packages of luxury accommodation and wildlife experiences. “These partnerships are key to extending our reach and providing value-added experiences to our clients, while helping them learn about our culture,” Morulane noted. He emphasised that the future of tourism lies in aligning modern hospitality with the preservation and celebration of local identity.
Rich in cultural heritage, Maun offers stories and traditions that can set it apart. “We need to move beyond just offering rooms and meals,” Morulane said. “We should be telling stories, preserving traditions and immersing our guests in the soul of Maun.”
He added that sustainability must remain central, highlighting eco-friendly operations, responsible tourism practices and community involvement as essential to the industry’s evolution.
Guests at the launch welcomed the development as a boost to Botswana’s tourism sector. Lebogang Mopalo, one of the first diners to experience the riverside setting, described it as “exceptional and a much-needed air breather that elevates one’s mood, especially with nature’s ambience in the background.”
Mopalo said Cresta Maun is now positioned as “not just a place to stay, but a destination that offers authentic, immersive and sustainable tourism.”
“As Botswana works to diversify its economy through tourism,” she added, “initiatives like this pave the way for more resilient, community-driven and culturally aware hospitality experiences.”
