Eenhana
The Minister of Environment and Tourism Pohamba Shifeta has advised business owners along the Trans-Kalahari Highway to develop their businesses into prime properties as there is great potential to attract tourists.
The minister was particularly making reference to hospitality and accommodation businesses along the road.
He said the availability of such facilities along the road would in future serve as stopover places for tourists.
He added that the road which stretches from the coast to Zambezi Region into neighbouring countries has been used by tourists as an entry into the country.
Shifeta emphasised that transit towns such as Eenhana should capitalize on developing tourism products to attract tourists and subsequently grow the local economy.
“This road is utilized by thousands of tourists and potential investors travelling between Kunene and Kavango West and East regions up to the Zambezi Region,” said Shifeta.
The latest tourism statistics indicate that over 1.4 million tourists visited the country in 2015 with the highest number of visitors coming from neighbouring Angola.
Shifeta made the remarks at the Eenhana trade and tourism expo on Wednesday.
Shifeta said the ministry is also considering trans-locating high valued wildlife to the conservancy at Okongo to add value to the said road in order to attract more tourists to utilize the road.
“There are already animals at the conservancy and last month we also trans-located animals there, but we are contemplating trans-locating high-valued wildlife to the conservancy,” said the minister.
In addition to developing hospitality outlets the minister reckons that places should also be designated for the local community to showcase their products and services.
He said there is great potential to empower the local economy if opportunities such as showcasing hand-crafted products are availed.
“If there are good products and services in place, there is an opportunity to retain tourists,” said Shifeta.