Hospitality association pushes for clarity on tourism board’s regulatory role

Hospitality Association of Namibia (HAN) chief executive Gitta Paetzold says there is a need for clarity on the actual mandate of the Namibia Tourism Board (NTB) to improve the regulation of the industry.

She was yesterday speaking to Desert Radio in response to minister of environment, forestry and tourism Pohamba Shifeta earlier this week lashing out at the NTB for supposedly changing its mandate to marketing.

The NTB was established by an act of parliament to regulate the tourism sector.

“I was so embarrassed that I was not even informed of that. So, it is in the law, and they say but we are no longer going to do this,” Shifeta said during the announcement of the new NTB board in Windhoek earlier this week.

“Only the minister has the power to make policies, not officials,” he said.

Paetzold said industry consultation on the best way the NTB could regulate the industry as well as improving the marketing aspect of the country as a destination started in 2016.

“There is a need for a regulator for the industry to grow and compete,” she said.

She said HAN welcomes the need for clarity on the regulator’s mandate.

Paetzold also expressed confidence in the NTB’s newly appointed board.

“The appointed members are people who have an understanding of the industry and have been there for some time,” she said.

The new NTB board members are Janette Fourie as chairperson, deputised by Olavi Hamwele, with Ally Karaerua, Maggy Mbako, Nguvitjita Zatjirua, Efraim Nkoshi and Rachel Nathaniel-Koch as members.

They will serve until 2026.

In September, the NTB announced it is transitioning from a marketing and regulatory body to focus solely on marketing, as marketing constitutes 90% of its business plan.

Shifeta said: “We are not going to do this . . . No, those are policy issues.”

He told the board to consult him if they want to amend laws.

In April, the tourism ministry said the NTB is yet to engage it on its plans to change its mandate.

The Namibian has reported that the director of tourism and gaming in the ministry, Sebulon Chicalu, has said the ministry was set to meet with the NTB to discuss a new regulatory body for the industry.

“We will have a date when the NTB is coming to the ministry to discuss what is contained in the tourism draft bill, and discuss everything else,” he said at the time.

A decision will be taken at the meeting about whether a ministerial department or separate agency would be created to regulate the industry.

Questions sent to board spokesperson Charmaine Matheus were not answered by the time of going to print.

Speaking on the appointment of a substantial chief executive officer (CEO), Shifeta said it is a matter of urgency.

Digu //Naobeb has told The Namibian his tenure at the regulatory board has come to an end.

Ministry spokesperson Romeo Muyunda has confirmed that the minister has rejected overtures by the old board to extend //Naobeb’s tenure as CEO, and has directed that the process to find a replacement be implemented.

The board has said //Naobeb’s contract is valid till the end of March.

//Naobeb this week said Shifeta’s claims about the board’s decision are untrue.

“This decision is included in the national tourism development and promotion strategy that was approved in 2016, which was commissioned by the ministry itself,” he said.

“To our understanding, this strategy was tabled both in the Cabinet and parliament. It is puzzling that those who championed the strategy do not know about it.”