2013-12-18Staff Report 2 WINDHOEK – The re-opening of Namibia Wildlife Resorts’ Popa Falls resort in the Kavango East region has made it easier for visitors to access one of the wonders of the country. Perched on the banks of the Kavango river the revamped resort is the first results of NWR’s new approach to make the state-owned enterprise deliver profits. NWR says it is now treating each of its resort camps as an autonomous business unit and managers have been bestowed with broadened operational functions. NWR is now paying an attentive eye to the bottom line and wants the forthcoming annual financial statements to reflect net profits and reduced operational costs. The state-owned resort group does admit that even though the turn-around plan it adopted in 2006 did inflate the revenue purse the bottom line figures remained negative as expenses shot up along with the increase in revenue. The new direction aims at slashing overheads. The Popa Falls resort, which President Hifikepunye Pohamba opened on November 29, is 15 kilometres from the Mahango game reserve and is the perfect stopover when travelling between the Khaudum and Mahango game reserve as well as for travellers between Botswana, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. “With the renovation and expansion of this facility, the NWR has made a commendable investment to fully realise the tourism potential of this facility. I take this opportunity to congratulate Namibia Wildlife Resorts for their commitment to continue developing, modernising and expanding our tourism facilities and infrastructure. This in turn will contribute towards employment creation and the improvement of the living conditions of our people,” said Pohamba. The president also commended NWR for introducing incentives for Namibians to visit and enjoy such touristic facilities. “This is a welcome initiative and I hope that more people will take up the offer of reduced prices, especially during the holiday season,” he said. The resort features, besides the 40-bed lodge, 10 river chalets, three family chalets, 10 campsites and three overlander campsites. The resort will also offer boat cruises on one of the biggest houseboats in the Kavango river waters. The boathouse is named after the former Minister of Environment and Tourism, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah. By Staff Reporter 2013-12-18Staff Report 2
