Bhubaneswar, November 4: South Africa (Lesotho) High Commissioner Thabang Linus Kholumo recently visited Odisha to foster collaboration in software development and tourism between the two regions. His visit aimed at exploring possibilities for technological and tourism advancements, resulted in a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed with Quantumware and Xtremefin Payment Solutions Pvt Ltd in Bhubaneswar.
As part of his visit, High Commissioner Kholumo toured Odisha’s prime tourist attractions, including Puri, Konark, Bhubaneswar, and Chilika Lake. The MoU establishes a pathway for collaboration focusing on tourism enhancement, mobile application development, and fintech solutions for Lesotho’s government, aiming to modernize key sectors in Lesotho.
The signing ceremony saw the presence of notable industry figures, including Biswojit Patsahani, UN issued approved Trade Commissioner, and other high-level officials like Sunil Kara, Ratan Behera, Umesh Panda, Suchitra Padhi, and Prativa Patashani. This partnership promises to provide Lesotho’s tourism and digital finance sectors with advanced technological support, fostering economic modernization and development.
Lesotho’s tourism sector, contributing approximately 6.1% to the nation’s GDP, shows great potential akin to Odisha’s tourism growth. This MoU targets GDP enhancement, job creation, and fortified ties in tourism and software industries, aiming to attract more visitors and improve service efficiency through expanded digital solutions. This initiative is anticipated to drive economic growth and development for both Lesotho and India.
