Aus tourist centre resumes operations

THE community-owned Aus Tourism Information Centre (ATIC) in the south is operational again after having closed shop at the end of last year due to financial problems.

Operations at the centre resumed at the beginning of this month after the Karas Regional Council committed itself to foot the centre’s operational costs until it becomes self-sustainable. A tourist guide at the centre, Owen Vlees, told The Namibian that KRC has bought stock worth N$8 000 for the centre’s café, and committed itself to pay monthly allowances to four workers, two tourist guides, a chef and a cleaner.’We believe that the info centre will become self-sustainable within the next three months. KRC will continue to support the centre financially, depending on its sustainability within the next two months,’ Vlees said.Vlees said tourist visits to the centre are still low because it is ‘low season’.’We are making business although we currently rely on largely on local support.’ Vlees said the main activities at the centre are guided walks, selling of refreshments and souvenirs and exhibits about the area’s history.The community took ownership of the eco-tourism project after private shareholders, Klein Aus Vista and Nature Investments (trading as Gondwana Collection Investments), which previously owned 50 per cent stake, pulled out of the partnership deal in 2009 over the dilly-dallying of the Environment Ministry to allocate a concession to the trust. The Environment Ministry three years ago granted the centre a 20-year concession to take tourists on excursions to the popular Khoichab dune belt.But according to Vlees, the centre is unable to take tourists on excursions because it does not own a 4×4 vehicle.’The sourcing of funding to purchase the 4×4 vehicles will top the agenda list at ATIC Trust annual meeting scheduled for April,’ he said. The centre, which was funded by the European Union and is the property of the Aus Community Conservation Trust (ACCT), opened its doors in 2006.