Shifeta reveals tourism plans for 2022
The recovery of Namibia’s devastated tourism industry heavily depends on the success of public health measures, especially vaccination coverage.
ELLANIE SMIT
WINDHOEK
The tourism ministry is engaged in signing the Kavango Zambezi Trans-Frontier Conservation Area (KAZA TFCA) Univisa this year, and will join Zambia and Zimbabwe, who already are participants.
“This tourism Univisa will facilitate ease of access for tourists within these partner countries. We therefore urge tourism companies to optimise on the business opportunities in the KAZA TFCA areas,” tourism minister Pohamba Shifeta said.
He made the remarks at the launch of the tourism sector drive for Covid-19 vaccination while briefing those in attendance about some major achievements in 2021 as well as activities planned for this year.
He said the ministry has successfully bid to host the Africa Youth in Tourism Innovation Challenge and Summit 2022 to 2024, in collaboration with African Tourism Partners and the World Tourism Organisation. This will take place from 27 to 29 July, and for the next two years.
“The objective is to create awareness of the sector’s value-chain and appetite for tourism enterprising among the youth for them to participate in the tourism economy. The hosting of these events will put Namibia on the map with regard to our capacity to host major international events, post Covid-19, and have the potential to attract attention to the destination.”
Most effective weapon
Shifeta said travel and tourism have been hit the hardest by the Covid-19 outbreak since 2020.
The contribution of tourism to the national gross domestic product, poverty alleviation, employment creation and rural development agenda has been threatened, he said.
“It is therefore our considered duty to encourage all Namibians, in particularly the people employed in the sector, that vaccination is our most effective weapon in our fight against this pandemic.”
He said commencing the travel and tourism sector post Covid-19 relies on the success of robust public health measures, the sectoral health protocols implemented and, above all, the percentage coverage of the vaccinated target population.
According to him, the tourism vaccination campaign is aimed at increasing the level of understanding and participation of employees and businesses in the sector to voluntarily participate in vaccination in order to reduce the inherent health risks posed by hosting and engaging with guests from various places and to reduce the risk of falling very sick and requiring hospitalisation.
Tourism recovery plan
Furthermore, the minister said the ministry has made significant progress with the development of the national tourism recovery plan.
“This three-year plan sets out a national framework of a strategic approach to the recovery process with required policy intervention, strategic programmes and activities aimed at rebooting the sector post Covid-19.”
Countrywide consultations were convened to share and receive input from industry stakeholders. The remaining regions are Khomas and Otjozondjupa, and dates for these will be announced soon.
Shifeta added that tourism regional forums were established in Hardap and Zambezi to bring tourism services closer at the community level.
The forums are aimed at driving tourism growth and development to spread the benefits of tourism across the country, while enhancing cooperation amongst stakeholders and facilitating networks within the tourism fraternity. This effort will be continued in all other regions.
Lotteries, gambling boards
Meanwhile, the ministry also established two public entities - the Gambling Board and Lotteries Board, Shifeta announced.
The necessary laws and regulations were gazetted and operationalised.
“Respective boards have been appointed to provide oversight functions over these entities. These entities will regulate commercial gaming and entertainment and the lotteries and casino industries in the country.”
He appealed to industry stakeholders to familiarise themselves with the new laws and regulations and register their businesses in line with these to avoid the arm of the law.
[email protected]
WINDHOEK
The tourism ministry is engaged in signing the Kavango Zambezi Trans-Frontier Conservation Area (KAZA TFCA) Univisa this year, and will join Zambia and Zimbabwe, who already are participants.
“This tourism Univisa will facilitate ease of access for tourists within these partner countries. We therefore urge tourism companies to optimise on the business opportunities in the KAZA TFCA areas,” tourism minister Pohamba Shifeta said.
He made the remarks at the launch of the tourism sector drive for Covid-19 vaccination while briefing those in attendance about some major achievements in 2021 as well as activities planned for this year.
He said the ministry has successfully bid to host the Africa Youth in Tourism Innovation Challenge and Summit 2022 to 2024, in collaboration with African Tourism Partners and the World Tourism Organisation. This will take place from 27 to 29 July, and for the next two years.
“The objective is to create awareness of the sector’s value-chain and appetite for tourism enterprising among the youth for them to participate in the tourism economy. The hosting of these events will put Namibia on the map with regard to our capacity to host major international events, post Covid-19, and have the potential to attract attention to the destination.”
Most effective weapon
Shifeta said travel and tourism have been hit the hardest by the Covid-19 outbreak since 2020.
The contribution of tourism to the national gross domestic product, poverty alleviation, employment creation and rural development agenda has been threatened, he said.
“It is therefore our considered duty to encourage all Namibians, in particularly the people employed in the sector, that vaccination is our most effective weapon in our fight against this pandemic.”
He said commencing the travel and tourism sector post Covid-19 relies on the success of robust public health measures, the sectoral health protocols implemented and, above all, the percentage coverage of the vaccinated target population.
According to him, the tourism vaccination campaign is aimed at increasing the level of understanding and participation of employees and businesses in the sector to voluntarily participate in vaccination in order to reduce the inherent health risks posed by hosting and engaging with guests from various places and to reduce the risk of falling very sick and requiring hospitalisation.
Tourism recovery plan
Furthermore, the minister said the ministry has made significant progress with the development of the national tourism recovery plan.
“This three-year plan sets out a national framework of a strategic approach to the recovery process with required policy intervention, strategic programmes and activities aimed at rebooting the sector post Covid-19.”
Countrywide consultations were convened to share and receive input from industry stakeholders. The remaining regions are Khomas and Otjozondjupa, and dates for these will be announced soon.
Shifeta added that tourism regional forums were established in Hardap and Zambezi to bring tourism services closer at the community level.
The forums are aimed at driving tourism growth and development to spread the benefits of tourism across the country, while enhancing cooperation amongst stakeholders and facilitating networks within the tourism fraternity. This effort will be continued in all other regions.
Lotteries, gambling boards
Meanwhile, the ministry also established two public entities - the Gambling Board and Lotteries Board, Shifeta announced.
The necessary laws and regulations were gazetted and operationalised.
“Respective boards have been appointed to provide oversight functions over these entities. These entities will regulate commercial gaming and entertainment and the lotteries and casino industries in the country.”
He appealed to industry stakeholders to familiarise themselves with the new laws and regulations and register their businesses in line with these to avoid the arm of the law.
[email protected]
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