WINDHOEK – The Namibian police issued a stern warning to transport operators, particularly taxi drivers, to desist from over-charging delegates to the Adventure Travel World Summit (ATWS) 2013 scheduled for Swakopmund.
The ATWS will kick off this coming weekend in Swakopmund. The summit, the first to be hosted in Africa, is expected to bring together close to 700 adventure travel decision-makers from over 60 countries and 62 international journalists, including from National Geographic magazine. Namibia could generate over N$50 million in revenue during the hosting of the summit that is scheduled for October 26-31 in Swakopmund and Windhoek. The Namibia Tourism Board (NTB) will be welcoming delegates with two events, one in Windhoek on Saturday and another in Swakopmund next week Monday, featuring a special desert dinner. Speaking to New Era yesterday, Erongo Regional Crime Investigations Coordinator, Deputy Commissioner Ottilie Kaashuupulwa, said transport operators must charge visitors fairly to their respective destinations. “For operators especially taxi drivers, we are warning you to avoid over-charging visitors during the summit. In cases where we will get such reports, the police will deal with offenders accordingly. They must note that our visitors are already informed about such types of activities (over-charging),” she said. Kaashuupulwa noted that the police are ready to ensure safety during the summit, adding that “our visitors’ safety comes first.”
Moreover, she said they have enough manpower to deal with any eventualities. She further urged coastal residents to treat the visitors in a polite manner, especially when they are asking for directions. Any visitor who may find themselves in a dilemma, can contact the Tourist Protection Unit on 0812565757 or can call the emergency number 0814850954. First National Bank of Namibia (FNB), Standard Bank and Windhoek Lager also jointly contributed a whopping N$4.5 million to the hosting of the historic event. During the ‘Two Days of Adventure’ there are 40 choices for delegates, provided by tour operators, including adventures in cycling and kite surfing, as well as visiting the Cheetah Conservation Fund and a ride on the Desert Express train. The summit will attract high-impact, inspirational presentations, with peer-to-peer collaboration, business-to-business marketplace interactions, delegate/media exchange and interactive learning workshops.
By Albertina Nakale