ORGANISERS of the Lesotho Tourism Festival (LETOFE) are not afraid of losing the target market they built over the past 17 years following significant changes that are otherwise projected to attract a younger audience.
society
Nov. 15, 2022
NEO SENOKO
3 min read
Revamped LETOFE promises fireworks
Tortured Soul, American house band
Story highlights
The jazz show changes focus to other genres
The festival seeks to evolve and align with the developments in the industry
This, after the organisers changed the narrative of the event which was focused mainly on jazz music.
Owing to the modifications implemented, the name of the event has since been changed to Standard Lesotho Bank Letofe Lifestyle Experience.
Standard Lesotho Bank is the main sponsor of the annual show. Under the theme “We live, We Love, We Connect” the occasion is expected to attract a much younger audience, partly due to its new lifestyle feature.
With the new approach, the festival seeks to evolve and align with the developments in the industry, where music festivals are transcending beyond the bounds of music and promises to be a hotspot for all things food, drinks, music, art, and lifestyle while still preserving its mandate as a tourism event.
“We have given it a new look and feel. We have been the sponsors of LETOFE since 2005. Now 17 years on the trot, I am proud to inform you that we have renewed our contract for a further three years to 2024. Therefore, we are going to have our festival this year, which has grown in leaps and bounds to become one of the biggest features of our entertainment calendar during the festive season, attracting multitudes far and wide,” Standard Lesotho Bank spokesperson, Manyathela Kheleli said on Tuesday during the official relaunch of the show.
This year, the event will be undergoing a journey to give all its patrons an improved experience that cannot be done all at once, but one that will be scaled and improved year after year to the level of a full lifestyle occasion that all people can be proud of and look forward to attending.
The installment shall also see a synergy between the event and local powerhouses as well as entrepreneurs - Bonono Merchants and House of Thethana, who will produce exclusive merchandise while showcasing their products during pop-up activations and at the official event.
“This event is evidence of the bank’s long-term commitment to serving and supporting entrepreneurs with training, mentorship, financial and overall business support. It further arises from the bank’s continued longing to drive inclusion so that formal and informal enterprises can succeed.
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“Most importantly, through this festival, we are expressing our token of appreciation to the multitudes of Basotho who continue to support our bank. This festival could not be possible without the support that you give to our bank,” Kheleli added.
For his part, the founder of the event, Montoeli ’Moleli said the show will be held on December 17, adding that tickets are already available at comp tickets.
He said one of the main reasons for the repackaging is that LETOFE has lost some of the main acts in recent years, hence the introduction of other genres.
“We lost some of the main acts and now we introduce other genres. LETOFE is now a national property and not just about us,” ’Moleli also showed.
Some of the performers expected at the event include renowned local entertainers such as Juvenile, Mookho Moqhali, Leomile and Thope-Tsekhang.
International acts expected include South African artists like Tropies, Ami Faku, Don Laka and Tortured Soul.
Over the years, the annual show lost some of its top regulars such as Tšepo Tšola, Oliver Mtukudzi, Ray Phiri, and Hugh Masekela through death.
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