Visitors still paying old park fees
ELLANIE SMIT
WINDHOEK
The tourism ministry expects the new park fee structure, which will include a conservation fee, to be finalised in February.
The ministry announced at the end of last year that new park and conservation fees would come into effect as from 1 January this year.
However, ministry spokesperson Romeo Muyunda said they are still working to ensure an efficient and smooth collection of fees without inconveniencing visitors to the country's national parks.
“Furthermore, the fee structure needs to be gazetted. This process is expected to be finalised in February.”
Muyunda said the ministry will announce when the fees become applicable. “For now, the old fees are still applicable.”
The ministry last year said that the new conservation fee in addition to the existing park fees was introduced because there was a shortfall in resources to conserve wildlife and maintain infrastructure in parks.
Funding conservation
The ministry previously said that the conservation fee will accrue to the Game Products Trust Fund and will be used for the management and maintenance of infrastructure in national parks, human-wildlife conflict mitigation and prevention, wildlife protection and law enforcement.
For Namibian residents, new park entrance fees will range from N$10 to N$30, while the additional conservation fee will be between N$10 and N$20, depending on which parks are visited.
SADC residents will pay between N$30 and N$60 for park fees and N$20 and for N$40 for conservation fees, while foreigners will pay between N$40 and N$100 and N$20 and N$50 respectively.
The ministry said it had not increased park entrance fees since 2005 and the fees are the lowest in the Southern African Development Community (SADC).
WINDHOEK
The tourism ministry expects the new park fee structure, which will include a conservation fee, to be finalised in February.
The ministry announced at the end of last year that new park and conservation fees would come into effect as from 1 January this year.
However, ministry spokesperson Romeo Muyunda said they are still working to ensure an efficient and smooth collection of fees without inconveniencing visitors to the country's national parks.
“Furthermore, the fee structure needs to be gazetted. This process is expected to be finalised in February.”
Muyunda said the ministry will announce when the fees become applicable. “For now, the old fees are still applicable.”
The ministry last year said that the new conservation fee in addition to the existing park fees was introduced because there was a shortfall in resources to conserve wildlife and maintain infrastructure in parks.
Funding conservation
The ministry previously said that the conservation fee will accrue to the Game Products Trust Fund and will be used for the management and maintenance of infrastructure in national parks, human-wildlife conflict mitigation and prevention, wildlife protection and law enforcement.
For Namibian residents, new park entrance fees will range from N$10 to N$30, while the additional conservation fee will be between N$10 and N$20, depending on which parks are visited.
SADC residents will pay between N$30 and N$60 for park fees and N$20 and for N$40 for conservation fees, while foreigners will pay between N$40 and N$100 and N$20 and N$50 respectively.
The ministry said it had not increased park entrance fees since 2005 and the fees are the lowest in the Southern African Development Community (SADC).
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