Namibia Wildlife Resorts wish to respond to the letter that appeared in The Namibian of Tuesday, April 10, 2007 on page 13. The author(s), though failing to provide a face or name, claims to be a “concerned tour operator” and touched on issues relating to the upgrades of NWR facilities. The new management, the public, NWR shareholder and the market are all fully aware of the dilapidated condition of all the facilities and the negative impact it has had on the country’s tourism industry as a whole.
The state of the NWR facilities had in fact become the subject of major criticism and complaints, and it is therefore surprising to believe that attempts to rectify the situation are equally met with a similar flurry of criticism. I think the writer’s motives are different from that of having the best interest of this company at heart, and the country at large.
It should be realized that the deterioration of infrastructure in Etosha and elsewhere did not come about overnight, but rather accumulated over years of mismanagement and neglect. It was for this reason that the new management of NWR developed a turnaround strategy that was fully supported and approved by the Cabinet of the Republic of Namibia, the sole shareholder of the company.
The turnaround strategy addresses the systematic improvement of all facilities in the NWR portfolio, as well as strategies to improve service delivery and to run the company on sound business principles, as expected by its shareholder.
Priority was given to the three camps in the Etosha National Park – Okaukuejo, Halali and Namutoni – to coincide with the celebration of the Etosha Centenary and in recognition that these camps had received some of the most severe criticisms over recent years.
The Ministry of Environment and Tourism is also investing in improving park infrastructures such as gates, roads and signs, fences and waterholes to improve the visitor experience. Our belief is that the author’s intention is to destroy and in fact mislead the public on issues that are not true. The Etosha camps are going through a thorough refurbishment as mandated by Cabinet under its Resolution No. 12th/2006.06/06.
Halali is on the verge of completion, with only the landscaping of the camp left to be done. Okaukuejo and Namutoni are both undergoing reconstruction which should be finished in time for the main celebration of the Etosha Centenary in September 2007 to be held at Namutoni.
Likewise the development of the new eco-friendly facility Sossus Dune Lodge, the first lodge ever to be built by NWR on the path from Sesriem to Sossusvlei, coincides with the centenary of the Namib section of the Namib-Naukluft Park, and goes hand in hand with the redevelopment of the Sesriem Campsite, which includes the relocation of the petrol station, the sewerage system and ablutions, and improved and additional services to guests (new shop, restaurant/cafeteria complex, new swimming pool and bar).
All in all, the NWR redevelopment touches all aspects of the facilities that include not only the interior d??????’??