HAN pushes for better rural internet

The Hospitality Association of Namibia (HAN) has renewed its call for urgent intervention to address deteriorating telecommunications services in remote tourism areas.

HAN CEO Gitta Paetzold said the problem affects tourism businesses, guest farms, lodges and the agricultural sector nationwide.

“Tourism depends on connectivity,” she said, adding that Namibia is falling behind competing destinations in the region in terms of the availability, speed and affordability of internet and communication services.

The association said reliable internet has become an essential part of the tourism experience, with accommodation establishments relying on connectivity for reservations, guest communication, online payments, operations and international marketing.

“This is not an attempt by us as HAN or the tourism industry to point fingers, but an urgent national call to us as Namibians to ensure that this beautiful country lives up to the expectations of our clients in terms of at least matching the global connectivity status quo that end users are accustomed to.”

Rush to connect

She said that the timing is particularly critical as July marks the start of Namibia's tourism high season.

Paetzold also pointed out that three international airlines have announced additional flights to Namibia to meet growing tourism demand, placing even greater importance on ensuring that supporting infrastructure keeps pace.

"It is now upon all of the service providers involved, including our telecommunication service providers, to contribute to the national effort to optimise Namibia's standing and competitiveness as a destination of choice.”

HAN said it first raised the issue with Telecom Namibia and MTC in mid-April but has seen little progress since then.

To demonstrate the extent of the problem, HAN asked one of its members, a high-end lodge catering to international visitors, to provide evidence of connectivity challenges. The lodge submitted documentation outlining service failures and historical data usage records showing a significant decline in service over time.