CHOBE HOLDINGS REPORTS STRONG DOMESTIC VALUE RETENTION AS PROFITS SURGE

Eco-Tourism Operator Translates Record Financial Growth Into Direct Local Impact and Regional Development

Chobe Holdings Limited has reported record financial results for the year ended 28 February 2026, with revenue increasing 12% to P714 million and net profit rising 24% to P172 million as the Botswana Stock Exchange-listed eco-tourism group continued expanding its operations while retaining more than 90% of the economic value it generated within Botswana.

The group’s Integrated Report 2026 shows operating profit climbed 21% to P240 million, earnings per share increased 25% to 195 thebe, and net assets grew to P655 million. Cash reserves also strengthened from P46 million to P110 million, enabling directors to declare a net dividend of 70 thebe per share, up 17% from the previous financial year.

The company generated P513 million in economic value during the reporting period, compared with P419 million the previous year. Of that amount, 29% was directed to employees through wages and benefits, 26% went to government through taxes and statutory payments, while a further 35% was reinvested in growing the business. Only 10% was distributed to shareholders, with the company noting that its Botswana Stock Exchange listing allows ordinary Batswana to participate in the country’s tourism sector.

“Our listing on the Botswana Stock Exchange means that everyone has the opportunity to own a piece of one of their country’s most enduring and successful industries,” said Myra Sekgororoane, Board Chairperson of Chobe Holdings.
Investment in people remained a key focus during the financial year, with more than P168 million allocated to wages, salaries and employee benefits for the group’s largely Batswana workforce. Chobe Holdings also continued its employee bonus scheme linked to dividends on three million company shares as part of its strategy to reward and retain skilled tourism professionals.

The report also highlights the career progression of Managing Director Lempheditse Odumetse, who joined the company as a waiter at Camp Moremi in 1999 before rising to lead the group. Chobe Holdings stated that the appointment reflects its commitment to developing local talent and creating long-term career opportunities within Botswana’s tourism industry.

“These results belong to the Batswana who wake before dawn in our camps and give their best to every guest. Having started with this company as a waiter, I know first-hand that when we invest in our people and the communities around our concessions, we are investing in the long-term strength of the business,” said Lempheditse Odumetse, Managing Director of Chobe Holdings.

Beyond its commercial performance, the company contributed significantly to Botswana’s public finances during the reporting period. It paid P129 million in taxes, PAYE, resource royalties and licence fees, while collecting and remitting a further P69.3 million in Value Added Tax, bringing its total contribution to the national treasury to nearly P200 million.

Chobe Holdings also expanded its regional footprint by opening King Lewanika Lodge in Zambia’s Liuwa Plain National Park and Maxa Lodge in Botswana’s Okavango Delta, while securing a concession to develop Musesenji Camp in Zambia’s Lower Zambezi, which is scheduled to open in 2027. Through its Chobe Impact programme, the group committed more than P9 million to community development, education and conservation initiatives, including support for schools, vocational scholarships, the refurbishment of Maun’s Nhabe Museum and the expansion of solar energy across its lodges.

With advance bookings for the 2027 financial year already exceeding P92 million, Chobe Holdings says it enters the new financial year with strong intends to continue investing in its workforce, expanding its tourism portfolio, supporting conservation and strengthening communities.