SWAKOPMUND – Plans are underway to formalise and register local taxis and tour operators at the coast with the local traffic regulators as well as the Namibian Tourism Board to operate in an orderly manner when dealing with tourists arriving via cruise ships.
These plans were revealed during a meeting where stakeholders in the tourism sector raised concerns over the chaotic manner in which taxis and unlicensed tour operators act when dealing with cruise ship passengers at Namport gates.
Concerns are that such behaviour will negatively affect the tourism industry, which is still recovering from the aftermath of Covid-19. Taxi drivers initially cried foul, saying they are excluded from this lucrative industry by the big players.
However, representatives of the taxi industry were absent from the stakeholders’ consultations held earlier in Swakopmund.
Passenger liner arrivals are expected to peak from October this year until April next year, with at least 66 passenger liners expected to dock either in Walvis Bay or Luderitz.
Erongo police commander Nikolaus Kupembona said the general behaviour of taxi drivers has been a concern, as they would grab and force passengers into their vehicles.
“They are really causing havoc there at the gate, without any papers. This is why we want them to be organised so that we also know who we’re dealing with when a complaint arises. Operations must be smooth when dealing not only with tourists, but overall,” Kupembona stated.
Hilmar Tonnemacher, co-owner of Abenteuer Afrika Safari, echoed similar sentiments. She said space must be made available for taxis and other tour operators as “we need control. So, if you want to have success with taxis and additional tour operators, there must be a controlled space. That’s the bottom line if you want to make it work.”
The NTB inspector for the Erongo region, Fiona Amon, said every person or company operating in the tourism sector must be registered with them. She added that as much as the stakeholders might not want taxis to be there, they will still be there. Hence, they want them to be registered so that they also have public and passenger liability insurance when loading tourists.
“They must be registered with the NTB, have a public road carrier permit, and a valid NTB disc. But the problem came when there was chaos, and we as the forum looked at what we can do, without excluding them from the sector,” Amon noted.
She then suggested that taxis be numbered, and regular briefings be conducted with them before the arrival of cruise ships.
“If you see the way the taxi drivers are looking, you will even be afraid to get into his cab,” she said.
Sandwich Dune Tours and Safari owner Kenneth Kapitako indicated that they are in the process of developing a loading system as well as registering taxis to address the chaos.
“We hope this eliminates the chaos which is always caused outside the gates, where clients are being pulled around and bullied by taxi operators. We all should operate in an orderly manner to make sure that the message going out to future visitors remains positive,” he said.
Namport’s business development manager Trevor Ndjadila confirmed that a committee has been set up to facilitate a smooth transportation process, and be ready in October. He said this will enable synergy between all stakeholders, and also enhance safety and security for port users overall.