Mobile ATM van proves handy for patrons at LoS
The Lake of Stars (LoS) arts festival at Chintheche in Nkhata Bay last weekend opened up opportunities for local small and large businesses.
Locals erected at least 50 stalls at the makeshift market outside the venue to sell products such as artworks and foodstuffs.
Inside the venue, the festival provided a business opportunity to seven food vendors and 20 non-food vendors, who set up stalls after paying K100 000 for space, water and electricity for the three days of the event.
NBS Bank was not left behind as it had a mobile automated teller machine (ATM) van to provide patrons an opportunity to cash money right at the venue of the festival.
The initiative proved handy as it reduced the distance for patrons who wanted to withdraw money.
NBS Bank head of personal and business banking Mercus Chigoga said the mobile ATM van was a successful venture as they recovered all expenditure costs.
A restaurant and art shop owner Kelvin Mujuliyeni said shop owners lost considerable business for the first two days because international patrons failed to cash money at the ATM.
LoS festival has brought in about $4.7 million (about K3.4 billion) to the economy since it started in 2003, according to organisers of the event. n
