In an attempt to help tourism recover after Covid-19 devastated the industry, the Namibia Wildlife Resorts has introduced a reward plan that offers lower prices for accommodation to locals and those from SADC countries.
Domestic tourism has reportedly picked up with more locals visiting the Etosha National Park compared to international tourists.
Etosha is one of the largest national parks in Africa, one of the oldest, and is considered Namibia’s flagship tourist destination.
However, local tourism has been hard hit by the pandemic, which was compounded by job losses and loss of income.
With the release of the latest SADC and domestic rates, citizens can now stay at some of Namibia’s best resorts at a fee as low as N$660 per person upon presentation of a Namleisure discount card, including dinner and breakfast.
This was confirmed by NWR spokesperson Nelson Ashipala yesterday who said the institution has the mandate to ensure locals have reasonable prices to see the flora and fauna of Namibia.
“NWR is a government institution. The cost of living has gone up. It is only right we make the prices reasonable for locals and SADC member states,” he alluded.
The revised rates are valid for new bookings from 1 November 2022, to 31 October 2023.
During this period, he said visitors and locals are granted the opportunity to visit resorts and explore what Namibia has to offer.
The Hospitality Association of Namibia (HAN) chief executive officer Gitta Paetzold welcomed the move.
“Special rates to the local and regional market are most welcome, as it heeds the call from the ministry of environment and tourism to rethink tourism by focusing on the local and African travel market. It also is in line and well timed to support the domestic tourism promotion initiative of the NTB and NBC in view of the upcoming holiday season,” she remarked.
As a custodian and host inside Namibia’s national parks, Paetzold says NWR is well placed to offer special rates, to enable more Namibians to discover the uniqueness of Namibia’s beauty.
“All in all, it is a good initiative, especially for the low season, and an example that is being matched by a number of initiatives and specials offered in tourism at different times of the year,” she added.
NWR is a state-owned enterprise mandated to run tourism facilities within the country.
“Resort prices have often forced visitors not to fully experience the flora and fauna that is in Namibia. Being the only company allowed to operate in parks, ensuring affordable prices is not only an obligation but a must, as it gives a great chance to view wildlife in their natural habitat and create great experiences,” said Ashipala.
Ashipala noted for the high-end resorts under the Eco category, such as Sossus Dune Lodge and Dolomite, the fees start from N$1 440 per person with the Namleisure card.
Namibia over the past couple of months has launched initiatives like the tourism digital marketing campaign to rebuild consumer confidence and advance travel recovery post-Covid. The country also continued to experience a growing trend in tourist arrivals from late 2021 to the second quarter of 2022.
– Additional reporting Nampa/Xinhua
– anakale@nepc.com.na