Walvis Bay prioritises tourism

STAKEHOLDERS of the hospitality and tourism industry at Walvis Bay met on Thursday for the establishment of the Walvis Bay Tourism Forum.

The forum was established by the Walvis Bay municipality in partnership with industry players to promote the further development of the tourism sector at the town. Stakeholders met to exchange views, establish partnerships and share experience, and to learn from each other.

They shared data for policy makers and regulations to determine what can be done better to ensure a conducive environment to help the sector to thrive. They also strategised how to grow the industry. The theme of the forum is ‘Promoting Ecotourism and Sustainable Development While Capturing Emerging Trends’.

“The tourism industry has the potential to unlock doors for other aspects of economic investment, development partners and employment creation. However, the success of the tourism industry is based on the abilities of industry players to innovate, diversify and seize new opportunities and attract new clients.

“We should be in sync with global tourism trends and industrial demands while maintaining our unique [appeal] and competitiveness. Such a forum is also a good marketing tool for our towns,” said the general manager for community and economic development at the Walvis Bay Municipality, Agostinho Victor.

Deputy director of the ministry of environment Elise Hashikutuva encouraged the stakeholders to guard their industry, and make it even more successful.

“Tourism in this country is flourishing. We are receiving a big number [of tourists] as a sector. The only need we have is to regulate ourselves like in this forum, integrate and get what we think is possible to get what we have. Teamwork is a key [tool] and [we should] coordinate with [the] relevant authorities so that tour operators are being recognised. We need such bodies to drive and spearhead further development of the industry,” she said.

Namibia Tourism Board senior inspector Ben !Gaoseb highlighted the need for professional tour guides, saying they are very important to the country, as they can make or break the industry.

“Tour guides are important to the industry. They are taking tourists around and meeting them. However, some do illegal exchange of foreign currencies while busy with tours. Some make the tourism business expensive. They also negotiate on behalf of guests. That is why NTB is fighting to register tour guides.

“The regulations are there; it is with the legal drafters and we are working at finalising these regulations. It is important to train and educate them. We need honest people in this business. They must be regulated to be kept in control and they can act according to the laws of the country,” he said.

!Gaoseb also encouraged the forum to work at considering cultural tourism, where tourists can meet with the communities, while stressing the importance of telling stories to tourists about the different cultures and towns.

He noted that cultures should not only include indigenous groups, but also historically Caucasian cultures, like Namibian Afrikaans or English cultures.

Walvis Bay Namibia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NCCI) president, Johnny Doëseb, also pledged support to the forum, which he says contributes significantly to the growth of the economy.

“Forums of this nature are highly welcomed and will foster inter-relationships between businesses within the tourism sector. When we were approached by the municipality, we found this a noble initiative. They understand the size, location, fauna and flora of this country.

And most importantly the human element, because tourism establishments could not be established without taking the importance of the human factor into consideration,” he said.

He also noted that the tourism industry should remain Namibian-owned. He urged tourism stakeholders to guard what they have, and to strive to manage their initiatives profitably.

The tourism industry, according to Doëseb, directly contributes almost N$7 billion to the country’s gross domestic product every year, and a further N$15 billion indirectly.