470 establishments apply for certification

TUYEIMO HAIDULA OSHAKATI With Namibia opening its borders to international travellers via Hosea Kutako International Airport on 1 September, the tourism ministry has received 470 applications from establishments to be certified as safe for tourists.This is after all travel was stopped for six months due to the coronavirus pandemic.So far, only one establishment has been denied a certificate. The Namibian Tourism Board (NTB) has also published a list of establishments which are yet to be certified. Thorough inspectionEnvironment ministry spokesperson Romeo Muyunda said the health ministry is still processing applications.“As you may understand, all applications will not be finalised at once. There are inspections involved to ensure safety measures are in place at these facilities. We are also confident that the health ministry is doing the most they can to finalise all the applications and we appeal for patience in this regard,” he said.“If we are to market Namibia as a safe destination, things need to be done thoroughly,” Muyunda added. Meanwhile, health ministry deputy executive director, Petronella Masabane, explained that tourists will pay for Covid-19 testing themselves, while establishment staff and logistics costs will be at state expense. Getting back on trackEnvironment minister Pohamba Shifeta said recently that although diverse efforts have been made to stimulate domestic tourism during the Covid-19 state of emergency period, the survival and regrowth of tourism sector depends mainly on the country's ability to attract international tourists. He said Namibia's tourism revival plan marks an important first step to get the sector back on track and he is confident that the country will be able to ensure the regrowth and resilience of this important sector, without jeopardising public health.NTB has published detailed information on Covid-19 protocols for all operations in the tourism sector. tuyeimoivawa@gmail.com

470 establishments apply for certification

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Namibian Sun 2025-09-18

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470 establishments apply for certification

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Namibian Sun 2025-09-18

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