Govt urged to nurture tourism
During the economic difficulties the country is facing, tourism continues to contribute to the gross domestic product and therefore, investment into the sector should continue.
As government continues to tighten its belt during the economic crisis, this should not reach the point where its expenditure within the tourism industry is reduced such that it results in a loss of the momentum created over the last few years.
This is the view of Zelna Hengari, managing director of Namibia Wildlife Resorts (NWR), who says tourism currently contributes significantly towards the gross domestic product making it a valuable sector within the country.
According to Hengari, unlike other segments that have not been spared by the tough economic challenges the country is going through, the tourism industry has witnessed a tremendous boost over the past two years.
“This tells us of the resilience within the industry and the key role it can play towards the attainment of the Harambee Prosperity Plan (HPP), the fifth National Development Plan (NDP5) and the ultimate success of Vision 2030.”
Hengari says even during the weakening of the Namibian dollar to other major currencies, the industry has seen a boost in visitors, along with increased revenue, due to the affordability experienced by international tourists travelling to Namibia.
She says credit must also be given to the exceptional work that has been done by the Namibia Tourism Board (NTB) in marketing Namibia as a destination of choice, along with Air Namibia, in getting foreign tourists into the country, especially from Namibia's biggest source market – Germany.
“It is for this reason that as government continues to tighten its belt; it should not reach a point where the country reduces its expenditure within the industry that results in a loss of the momentum that has been created over the past few years.”
She says government should continue to invest in the sector as not only does this give the country an opportunity to expose itself to the world, but also provides the benefits from direct foreign exchange that comes with international tourists.
According to her a recent social media post by Strive Masiyiwa, a well-known business person who travelled to Mauritius on holiday a few years ago, illustrates how further investments into the country can come from tourists.
While in Mauritius, Masiyiwa was pleasantly surprised at how knowledgeable the taxi driver assigned to him was about the tourism industry and investment opportunities within his country. This interaction with the taxi driver and the manager of the hotel where he stayed, resulted in him going back to invest in that country.
Hengari says it is for this reason that investment is needed towards customer service and product knowledge.
“This is not only at the tourism establishments but at the different points of entry as well. To pu tit simply - the first impression of any guest is how they are welcomed when they arrive at airport or any of the border posts.”
According to her this experience creates a lasting impression on how they will perceive Namibia and how they will later inform their family and friends about their experience within the country. It is also important that the safety of tourists is ensured.
“In all honesty, the future looks bright for the industry. What is critical is for each one of us to keep building on what we have, in order to leave a solid foundation for future generations. It would be sad to get to a time when all the beauty we have is destroyed. That is why we should continue to guard against individuals that want to tamper with this.”
STAFF REPORTER
This is the view of Zelna Hengari, managing director of Namibia Wildlife Resorts (NWR), who says tourism currently contributes significantly towards the gross domestic product making it a valuable sector within the country.
According to Hengari, unlike other segments that have not been spared by the tough economic challenges the country is going through, the tourism industry has witnessed a tremendous boost over the past two years.
“This tells us of the resilience within the industry and the key role it can play towards the attainment of the Harambee Prosperity Plan (HPP), the fifth National Development Plan (NDP5) and the ultimate success of Vision 2030.”
Hengari says even during the weakening of the Namibian dollar to other major currencies, the industry has seen a boost in visitors, along with increased revenue, due to the affordability experienced by international tourists travelling to Namibia.
She says credit must also be given to the exceptional work that has been done by the Namibia Tourism Board (NTB) in marketing Namibia as a destination of choice, along with Air Namibia, in getting foreign tourists into the country, especially from Namibia's biggest source market – Germany.
“It is for this reason that as government continues to tighten its belt; it should not reach a point where the country reduces its expenditure within the industry that results in a loss of the momentum that has been created over the past few years.”
She says government should continue to invest in the sector as not only does this give the country an opportunity to expose itself to the world, but also provides the benefits from direct foreign exchange that comes with international tourists.
According to her a recent social media post by Strive Masiyiwa, a well-known business person who travelled to Mauritius on holiday a few years ago, illustrates how further investments into the country can come from tourists.
While in Mauritius, Masiyiwa was pleasantly surprised at how knowledgeable the taxi driver assigned to him was about the tourism industry and investment opportunities within his country. This interaction with the taxi driver and the manager of the hotel where he stayed, resulted in him going back to invest in that country.
Hengari says it is for this reason that investment is needed towards customer service and product knowledge.
“This is not only at the tourism establishments but at the different points of entry as well. To pu tit simply - the first impression of any guest is how they are welcomed when they arrive at airport or any of the border posts.”
According to her this experience creates a lasting impression on how they will perceive Namibia and how they will later inform their family and friends about their experience within the country. It is also important that the safety of tourists is ensured.
“In all honesty, the future looks bright for the industry. What is critical is for each one of us to keep building on what we have, in order to leave a solid foundation for future generations. It would be sad to get to a time when all the beauty we have is destroyed. That is why we should continue to guard against individuals that want to tamper with this.”
STAFF REPORTER
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