Lahja Nashuuta
REHOBOTH – After several false starts, the latest attempt by the Rehoboth Town Council to revamp and revive Reho Spa finally got out of the blocks.
Nestled in the heart of the town, the resort, built around the natural hot springs, could soon be the place to be for local and international tourists, as the town council has commenced extensive renovation and redesigning work.
The resort, one of the largest hospitality and recreational centres in the region, was once a sought-after tourism destination, and is known for its thermal springs.
However, the facility has fallen into disrepair in recent years.
The resort, which was previously owned by the government and managed by the Namibia Wildlife Resorts (NWR) until 2008, is now under the control of the town council.
Acting CEO Ronald Windswaai said the revamped resort will cater to the robust demand from travellers, conferences, exhibitions and weddings throughout the year.
“Guests will enjoy a variety of dining options and a spa: the new resort will contain a restaurant that will be open all-day, a lounge and a pool bar.
For social gatherings and corporate meetings, it will be equipped with versatile meeting and event spaces, including a huge conference facility to accommodate the high demand for weddings. For guests to unwind and relax, there will be a fully-equipped gym and a swimming pool,” he said.
With regards to job-creation, Windswaai said “Hardap, specifically Rehoboth, has many youths who work at hotels and resorts outside town. Once the Reho Spa Recreation Resort reopens, we will try to bring them back to town”.
He told New Era last week that the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development has already provided N$2 million towards the extensive renovation and redesign of the facility.
The council has established a committee to deal with logistics and procurement, and is spearheading the revamping of Reho Spa and the town’s football field.
“The government has already provided funds for this exercise, of which we are supposed to give them quarterly reports, and hope more funds will come through for this project,” he said.
Windswaai further revealed that the council, NWR and the institution that previously owned the resort agreed to assist with the resetting up and to usher in technical support.
Through the agreement, the town council sources the services of NWR, and will write off debt accrued by NWR when they were the custodian of the resort that they leased through a public-private partnership that never took off.
“There were some investors who wanted to revamp the resort for us, but what was worrying the council is the fact that their source of funds is from an investor outside the country. The council then agreed that it could be the best if we can instead use NWR to do it for us,” he said.
The NWR previously managed the recreational facility on two occasions. However, the investors who leased the resort failed to sustain it, leading the institution into huge debt with the council.
As per the agreement, NWR will provide technical hospitality services to assist with setting up the resort to cover some of its debt.
“We have started with the renovation process already. Recently, the town council hosted a clean-up campaign of the facility as part of a community initiative, and we have also contracted people to clear up the site that has been closed for almost 17 years,” he said.
Windswaai said if everything goes according to plan, the spa, with two swimming pools, a thermal bath, 22 chalets and conference facilities, will create employment for youth who are currently working for hospitality institutions around the country.
-lnashuuta@gmail.com