Chobe Holdings Builds Momentum

Botswana’s leading BSE-listed eco-tourism group, Chobe Holdings, says it is entering the 2027 financial year with momentum, supported by a robust sales pipeline and customer advances exceeding P92 million. In its Integrated Report 2026, Chief Executive Officer John Gibson said the advances reflect medium and long-term confidence in the company’s destinations and brands. “We are monitoring this closely,” Gibson said, referring to global risks that could affect travel demand.

The CEO said Chobe was aware of challenges in the operating environment, including continued instability in the Middle East, which could affect travel confidence in some markets. While the direct impact on the business had been insignificant to date, he said prolonged geopolitical uncertainty could soften demand for travel, particularly in the short term. During the period under review, Chobe Holdings recorded revenue growth of 12 percent to P714 million.

Gibson said the company’s operating leverage meant that increased revenue translated into higher profits. However, he noted that the year was not without challenges, with cost inflation exceeding targets and geopolitical uncertainty affecting guests’ willingness to travel. “To deliver meaningful growth against this backdrop reflects, above all, the underlying strength of our product and the calibre of our operational and managerial team,” he said.

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Chobe remains the only eco-tourism company listed on the Botswana Stock Exchange, a position Gibson said carries both privilege and responsibility. “Every Motswana who holds our shares is a partner in the stewardship of this country’s most precious and enduring natural asset,” he said. Chobe increased its bed capacity following the opening of Maxa under the Ker & Downey Botswana brand and the reopening of the rebuilt Xugana Island Lodge under Desert & Delta Safaris.

Gibson described Maxa as a property in a pristine part of the Okavango Delta that the company believes will become one of the standout addresses in its circuit. “Both these developments were the product of extensive planning and development work, which makes it enormously satisfying to see them so positively received by guests and industry partners,” he said.

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