Rundu council places tourism at bottom of priorities

Rundu places tourism at bottom of prioritiesPhillipus JosefTourism development remains a low priority for the Rundu Town Council, with limited resources and a lack of institutional commitment hampering efforts to turn the town into a meaningful tourism destination. The council’s strategic executive for community services, Fransiska Kupembona, admitted yesterday that tourism continues to sit at the bottom of the council’s priority list. Kupembona was speaking during the environment ministry’s national tourism spatial development master plan workshop in Rundu. “It’s good to admit that little is really being done from the side of the Rundu town council on tourism development and promotion,” Kupembona said. She said local authorities' mandate is mainly to provide water, sewer, and refuse removal services, while tourism, though important, is always treated as a secondary concern. Kupembona warned that unless this mindset changes, Rundu will remain a mere transit town. “We say Rundu is a transit town, and at this rate, it will remain that way for years to come.” Lack of resourcesKupembona said the council had planned to construct a tourism information centre in the upcoming financial year but dropped the plan due to a lack of resources. “Unfortunately, this was removed. We were told there are no resources,” she said. “Yet this is the basic and most important infrastructure if we are serious about developing tourism.” Kupembona also urged the environment ministry to provide more direct support to local authorities, particularly in developing tourism infrastructure. “The ministry needs to consider how it can support towns like Rundu, where there is interest, but limited capacity.” Despite the constraints, she said the council had taken small steps, including compiling a business directory to promote local enterprises involved in accommodation, manufacturing, and retail. She also highlighted the council’s decision to outsource the management of Rundu Beach to a local entrepreneur, admitting the council could not manage the site effectively. “We realised we were unable to manage it at the level where it can really attract tourists. Now a local businessperson runs it on our behalf and is generating revenue.” Aligning with Vision 2030 and NDP6Environment ministry deputy executive director Seimy Shidute told Namibian Sun yesterday that local authorities must integrate tourism into their planning if Namibia is to achieve its broader economic goals. “You cannot speak of national tourism development without grassroots implementation,” Shidute said. “That’s where the opportunities and the challenges lie, in the regions."Shidute added that local authorities must align with Vision 2030, NDP6 and other high-level policies that identify tourism as a key economic sector. Shidute acknowledged that many local authorities struggle with capacity but stressed the importance of building institutional knowledge of the tourism sector. “They must understand what their town can offer, how to create appeal, and how to support local business initiatives,” she said. “If done right, tourism can stimulate the local economy and address issues like unemployment and income generation.”

Rundu council places tourism at bottom of priorities

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Namibian Sun 2025-09-16

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Rundu council places tourism at bottom of priorities

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Namibian Sun 2025-09-16

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