Ozohere Campsite Forty-two kilometres north of Uis, near the Ugab River, is the newly opened Ozohere Campsite. Brainchild of Vinice Kambongarera, Ozohere offers a unique Onderera and Otjiua cultural experience amongst desert-adapted elephants and rock dassies. In addition to the current camping facilities, Vinice is also in the process of developing a restaurant that will offer traditional and home-cooked meals. She currently offers refreshments, freshly baked bread and toilet facilities to visitors to the campsite and hungry and tired passers-by. Traditional performances and milking cows form part of this unique experience. Guests can also sleep in one of the traditional huts, where one of Vinice’s helpers will share their local knowledge. www.ozohere.com
Soccer maps for 2010 Publisher and distributor of maps and travel guides, MapStudio, has launched a range of 2010 maps in preparation for this year’s soccer World Cup event. The company has developed a convenient pocket-size map for each of the nine South African host cities. Each map clearly indicates the respective stadium location and surrounding areas, including points of interest, accommodation establishments, retail areas, tourist information offices and historical sites. These easy-to-read fold out maps also include street names, all major and minor roads and a detailed index of street and place names. MapStudio is also able to customise these maps for individual hotels, restaurants and other role players in the tourism sector. The MapStudio pocket-size maps are available at bookstores and retail outlets or online. www.mapstudio.co.za
Maryna Piepmeyer – back in tourism After a five-year break, Maryna Piepmeyer has returned to the tourism sector. She is now the marketing and sales manager at African Extravaganza. Before she took a break to raise her two children, Maryna worked at the Omarunga and Epupa camps, both in Epupa, and as manager at the Namib-Naukluft Lodge from 1998 to 2002. African Extravaganza offers a shuttle service from Windhoek and Swakopmund to the Namib Naukluft Lodge, which includes an excursion to the famous dunes at Sossusvlei. African Extravaganza also offers two-night module tours and weekend safaris, and recently added a new scheduled safari to its packages, the six-night Quick Tip Safari. www.african-extravaganza.com
New wheels for Mokuti The 106-room Kempinski Mokuti Lodge situated at the eastern entrance of the Etosha National Park has acquired two new game viewers for scheduled and special game drives into the park, and golf carts to transfer guests on the premises. The newly opened Mokuti Spa offers a wide range of specialty treatments. The gym, with state-of-the-art equipment and a splendid view of the surrounding bush, is just a short walk from the Spa – or a pleasant drive in one of the new golf carts. www.kempinski.com/mokuti
Marketing representation Lisa Berl, the brains behind what was previously called Namibia Enterprise, has announced that she will in future be trading as Compass Travel Marketing. Her services include marketing representation for Namibian tourism enterprises, offering tailor-made marketing solutions for non-competing companies, lodges, guesthouses, venues, car-rental firms and activity operators. Lisa prefers to include no more than six quality clients in her permanent portfolio, to guarantee efficient marketing services, which target the local tourism industry, the SADC region and the international market. Specialising mostly in e-mail marketing, Lisa’s services also include the identification of target markets, PR exercises, product introduction and sales calls. Compass Travel Marketing is also available for representation at local consumer fairs, workshops and international trade shows. The new website will be announced in due course. namibiaenterprise@iway.na
China Outbound A workshop held at the ITB trade fair in Germany recently revealed that social media marketing is the best way to gain the attention of the growing China Outbound Tourism market. With more than 50 million outbound travellers expected to leave China in 2010, the Chinese outbound market is attracting more attention from destinations around the world. China is the country with the largest number of Internet users in the world and has also developed into the largest tourism source market in Asia.
With growing choice and the sophistication of the Chinese travellers, destinations and companies have to use up-to-date communication to reach the attention and imagination of these high-spending customers. Social media are increasingly important, especially for the younger, affluent and techno-savvy Chinese. The workshop was organised by the German-based China Outbound Tourism Research Institute (COTRI) and the Chinese company, Dragon Trail. A social media website was launched on this occasion. www.chinatraveltrends.com
WCCR refurbishments The Windhoek Country Club Resort and Casino (WCCR) recently completed the refurbishment of the Kokerboom Restaurant, while all WCCR rooms were renovated and upgraded during 2008. The Casino also underwent renovations, with the restaurant being last on the list, giving the entire WCCR a fresh and modern look.
According to chairman, Sven Thieme, there are even more exciting prospects ahead. The WCCR recently entered a new ten-plus-five-year management agreement with Legacy Resorts and Hotels and celebrated a successful turnaround strategy that was implemented after the resort was taken over by Thieme and his team in 2003. www.legacyhotels.co.za
New chef and menu at The Wreck Restaurant The Wreck Restaurant in Vogelstrand, Swakopmund, a few kilometres north of the town centre, is proudly presenting a new menu created by innovative chef, Leon Kotze. Leon joined the ranks at The Wreck, having returned to Namibia after a few years abroad, completing his chef training in New York and working at restaurants in the Seychelles and the Austrian Alps. He has joined on a sixth-month contract, which will hopefully be extended at a later date to keep his creative skills and culinary expertise on hand.
Adding dishes with Asian (Leon’s favourites), Thai and Indian flavours to the menu while keeping some of the popular older dishes, The Wreck offers a selection of delectable fare. The menu has been devised to appeal to local as well as international tastes, with as much local produce used as possible. Asparagus, oyster mushrooms and herbs from the Swakop River, fresh Walvis Bay oysters, snoek (when in season in the early months of the year) and kabeljou feature on the menu.
Very competitively priced with good portions served to satisfy the Namibian palette, the new menu complements the attractive setting. Situated on the top floor of Beach Lodge, The Wreck’s large windows let the expansive Atlantic Ocean entertain and soothe its customers. With the superb setting, the elegant restaurant décor and exciting new menu, it is Leon’s goal to make The Wreck the best restaurant in Namibia. (RS) www.beachlodge.com.na
Educational for tour consultants During a weekend in March, a group of Namibian tour consultants took part in an educational tour to BüllsPort Guestfarm in the Naukluft area. BüllsPort owner, Ernst Sauber, familiarised the group with the guest farm and its private campsites, taking them on a farm drive and an excursion up the Naukluft Plateau. The group had the opportunity to go on a three-hour hike through the famous Quiver Tree Gorge Trail and gained additional information on the farm’s horse-riding activities. Information on the Nabaseb Community Support Project and the Naukluft Experience package were also shared. The following tour operators joined the excursion: Lee Ann Visser of New African Frontiers; Gabi Guth of Mythos Africa; Duane Redshaw of Ultimate Safaris; Lucie Trottier of Matiti Safaris; Maggy Garises of Springbok Atlas; Puye Hilokuah of Okaume Travel; and Lisa Berl of Compass Travel Marketing. namibiaenterprise@iway.na
