KAMANJAB - Thirty tour guides from the Kunene and Erongo regions on Friday received certificates after completing on-the-job training at a lodge outside Kamanjab in the Sesfontein constituency.

The group includes 16 guides from the Ombonde People’s Landscape in the Kunene region, while 14 are from the Brandberg Landscape conservation areas in Erongo.

Officiating at the event, environment and tourism minister Pohamba Shifeta said tour guiding is one of the most important professions in the industry.

The training, which covered Levels 1, 2 and 3, was funded by the German Development Cooperation (GIZ) in conjunction with his ministry with the primary goal of promoting economic activities based on the sustainable use of biodiversity. The Namibian government expressed appreciation for the continuous cooperation with GIZ by enabling the system to capacitate the local tour guides, in addition to other value chain supported programmes such as nature-based tourism, crafts, digital value-creation, wildlife-based value chains and installations of water infrastructure at some tourism campsites owned by community members.

“These are all assets that have been employed to improve the lives of the local communities. Therefore, I call on all conservancy committees to support their communities, especially school learners, communities with no electricity, boreholes and clinics to spend over 50% of their generated money from concessions and conservation activities,” Shifeta urged.

He warned conservancies which would fail to channel money generated from tourism activities to expect harsh punishment from his office in 2024.

Several graduates thanked the ministry for the training opportunity, and called on GIZ to assist them again in furthering their certificates to Level 4.

The training was conducted by Ongula Homestead Skills and Technical Education Academy.

- Nampa