Dalene Kooper
KEETMANSHOOP – The Namibia Tourism Board (NTB) is considering regulating accommodation prices at hotels, lodges and other facilities following complaints about exorbitant rates and a lack of regulation in the tourism sector.
NTB head of marketing Charmaine Matheus said the board is working to link the star grading system to accommodation pricing to ensure standardised benchmarks for establishments promoting and marketing themselves.
“The star grading system is already part of NTB’s policy and implementation plan. We are currently fine-tuning certain aspects of the policy, but it is a tool the NTB will implement because it will help ensure that standards are measured, communicated and maintained,” Matheus said.
The NTB hosted a tourism stakeholder engagement in Lüderitz over the weekend, where concerns over high accommodation prices and the entry fees at Kolmanskop were raised.
Stakeholders said many local families can no longer afford to travel to domestic destinations because of rising accommodation costs. They suggested the regulation of pricing at hotels, lodges and guesthouses, noting that rates are currently determined solely by owners.
Matheus added that the NTB will work with the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism (MEFT) to review policies and compliance within the tourism sector.
Tour operators also voiced concerns over entry fees at Kolmanskop. Stakeholders argued that the ghost town does not require extensive maintenance, yet the entrance and park fees continue to burden local tour operators and self-driving tourists.
“Why do we have to pay so much for entrance and park fees? What does the MEFT do with these funds, as there are no expenses for Kolmanskop?” asked Marion Schelkle, owner of Lüderitz Safaris and Tours.
Responding to the concerns, MEFT tourism officer for the //Kharas region, Gabriel Haimundi, said the issues raised regarding the fees would be referred to the tourism director.
Kolmanskop remains one of the key historical attractions in and around Lüderitz.
-dkooper@nepc.com.na