Tourism products should focus on Covid-19 confinement syndrome
ELLANIE SMIT
WINDHOEK
The tourism industry should develop and offer affordable pricing options to tourists aimed at attracting families or individuals away from congested tourism destinations.
This is one of the recommendations tourism minister Pohamba Shifeta made to the industry, requesting cooperation for the sustainability of livelihoods, businesses and growth of the domestic market in the face of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.
Another recommendation was that the industry should develop and promote innovative nature-based tourism product offerings to allow healing processes for those affected by fear or shock of the pandemic and to deal with the confinement syndrome and its negative effects.
Shifeta also said the industry should strive to ensure that all workers in the sector are vaccinated as far as possible for their own protection and for the protection of tourists.
He added the industry should provide flexible administrative booking protocols - given the changing restrictive regulatory environment - to promote short recreational or business tourism travels away from populated cities.
Tourists free from restrictions
Meanwhile, no travel restrictions will apply to international tourists once they comply to the provisions outlined in the tourism guidelines issued for the period 1 to 15 July, the minister said.
These guidelines were issued following the new measures and amendments announced by President Hage Geingob to curb the increasing cases of the virus.
Geingob also announced that a special dispensation for tourists would be put in place.
Shifeta said tourism players, operators and stakeholders must also ensure compliance with the regulations as well as the Tourism Health and Safety Protocols and Guidelines.
“It is of utmost importance for all industry players and stakeholders to enforce these protocols and instruments in order to ensure the highest standards of health and hygiene as well as the safety of tourists visiting our country and its tourism destinations.”
The tourism guidelines for the period 1 to 15 July can be found on the Namibia Tourism Board’s website.
WINDHOEK
The tourism industry should develop and offer affordable pricing options to tourists aimed at attracting families or individuals away from congested tourism destinations.
This is one of the recommendations tourism minister Pohamba Shifeta made to the industry, requesting cooperation for the sustainability of livelihoods, businesses and growth of the domestic market in the face of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.
Another recommendation was that the industry should develop and promote innovative nature-based tourism product offerings to allow healing processes for those affected by fear or shock of the pandemic and to deal with the confinement syndrome and its negative effects.
Shifeta also said the industry should strive to ensure that all workers in the sector are vaccinated as far as possible for their own protection and for the protection of tourists.
He added the industry should provide flexible administrative booking protocols - given the changing restrictive regulatory environment - to promote short recreational or business tourism travels away from populated cities.
Tourists free from restrictions
Meanwhile, no travel restrictions will apply to international tourists once they comply to the provisions outlined in the tourism guidelines issued for the period 1 to 15 July, the minister said.
These guidelines were issued following the new measures and amendments announced by President Hage Geingob to curb the increasing cases of the virus.
Geingob also announced that a special dispensation for tourists would be put in place.
Shifeta said tourism players, operators and stakeholders must also ensure compliance with the regulations as well as the Tourism Health and Safety Protocols and Guidelines.
“It is of utmost importance for all industry players and stakeholders to enforce these protocols and instruments in order to ensure the highest standards of health and hygiene as well as the safety of tourists visiting our country and its tourism destinations.”
The tourism guidelines for the period 1 to 15 July can be found on the Namibia Tourism Board’s website.
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