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Travel News |
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Travel News Namibia now has it's own new website! To visit TNN Online please click here |
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Don't forget to have a look at the full version of the latest Travel News Namibia on the e-Zine as shown below. |
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Afford Namibia now (09.08.2012)
JANA-MARI SMITH
The launch on Thursday of the StayToday last-minute accommodation booking website marked a landmark occasion for Namibian consumers.
The website, which offers great discounts at short notice, is the brainchild of Namibians Naude Muller and Chris Botha.
They describe themselves as Namibian e-commerce enthusiasts who have paired their familiarity with “…this vast country we call home and our intrigue with the possibilities that the Internet offers,” into a truly remarkable win-win situation for consumers and producers alike.
Often relegated to the back of the queue when it comes to top-notch getaways in Namibia, locals now have the opportunity to explore an amazing variety of high-quality establishments at affordable rates.
Namibians or anyone looking for a last-minute escape from the hustle and bustle of modern life are now just a click away from relishing the soothing beauty of the Namibian landscape.
Fortunately, the StayToday website is available to a wide range of people – locals as well as visitors – in fact, anyone who wants to get away today or tomorrow.
The website is also ideal for business travellers or visitors who decide to make last-minute changes to their travel itinerary.
So how does it work?
Hotels and lodges have always had the problem of filling their empty rooms at the last minute, and now the StayToday website offers a tailor-made solution.
The website is a platform where accommodation establishments can sell these rooms at significant discounts. Whether you are web savvy or your fingers are still unsure when touching a keypad, the StayToday website is the fastest and easiest way to book accommodation online in real-time, and confirm your booking in less that two minutes! StayToday also features amazing tailor-made packages that you’ll find nowhere else.
According to the StayToday creators, Muller and Botha, “There are plenty of websites out there offering people the chance to make advance bookings.” They decided, however, to “…bring something fresh to the market.”
The duo realised that: “Tourism is Namibia's fastest-growing industry, but we Namibians have not taken full advantage of all the opportunities presented by the Internet.”
They recognised that by creating a platform where establishments could sell their vacant rooms at discounted prices at the last minute, an entire new way of travelling in Namibia could begin.
StayToday is perfect for those who decide on the spur of the moment to escape the rat race, or to spoil a loved one.
Every day at noon, the website posts significantly discounted destination offers that are valid for a stay on the same day or the next and can be booked for a maximum of six nights.
The website offers ‘featured stays’ in addition to ‘short stays’. Once bought, featured stay packages can be redeemed any time during the period they are valid, for up to 12 months.
For many, the idea of booking online is still an unfamiliar, even scary, concept. This is why the StayToday team has made security one of their top priorities.
A close working relationship with Nedbank Namibia and Paygate ensures the online transactions are secure at all times.
Telephone bookings are also an option.
StayToday is a truly groundbreaking idea. The concept of ensuring that local establishments are fully booked while at the same time supplying local consumers with once-off bargains, is not echoed anywhere else on the continent.
StayToday has teamed up with Venture Publications, a pioneer in the promotion of Namibia locally and abroad for the past 20 years.
The reputable publishing house, which is known for a variety of tourism, and environmental magazines such as Travel News Namibia and the Namibia Holiday & Travel, is a strong supporter of global trends and has grabbed the opportunity to become part of the online community. In the next month, StayToday will become an official link to the brand-new TravelNews Namibia online website, to be launched in September.
So don’t hesitate. Go to www.staytoday.com.na and start your adventure of a lifetime.
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 No future without justice (07.08.2012)
The unresolved global crisis of economics and finance, food, and climate, reflect the failure of the dominant model of development and economic progress that is oriented on a technocratic modernisation path, is blind to human rights and the ecological limits of the global ecosystem, confuses growth of gross domestic product (GDP) with progress in society, and regards poverty as a preliminary technical challenge in which categories of inequality and social justice are neglected.
It is time to draw lessons from these crises, to look beyond conventional development concepts and goals and to rethink fundamentally the models and measures of development and social progress.
Development Dialogue
Report of the Civil Society Reflection Group on Global Development Perspectives
The Friedrich Ebert Stiftung and the Dag Hammerskjöld Foundation held a discussion this morning in Windhoek on global development perspectives. Dr. Henning Melber, executive director of the Dag Hammerskjöld Foundation, stressed that we need to create the necessary awareness about how societies are run as this in turn influences the lifestyles of the haves and have-nots. “We have to bring a responsible state back into place.”
The discussion brought about interesting dialogue from the civil society reflection group present at the meeting, with the conclusion that we need a basic society change. Education was also highlighted as a crucial entry point, while it was said that reports are needed as markers and reference points for access to social struggles. It was also said that we need a tax system that can do more for the redistribution of wealth, while leadership bodies needs to reduce systemic corruption.
“Government needs to be guided by explicit, clear principles that makes the general population understand what their rights are and what they stand for. Principles need to be brought down to a local level.”
A follow-up meeting will be held on 16 August at 08:00 at the Nampower Convention Centre in Windhoek. All are welcome. (Marita van Rooyen).
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Seals thrive off the coast of Namibia (26.07.2012)
Ombudsman John Walters today found that according to a scientific survey done in December 2011 of Namibia's seal population, the seal harvest in Namibia is biologically sustainable and does not contravene any national or international laws and regulations.
His report was issued following the Namibian governments decision to release the seal population data of an aerial survey conducted by the Benguella Current Commission (BCC) in December 2011.
Walters stated in this, the second report on the seal harvest, that there is "sufficient scientific evidence" that the allocation of 80 000 pups and 6 000 bulls for the 2012 harvest is "rationally linked to the seal population numbers".
According to the BCC survey, the current population of Cape Fur seals along Namibia's coast stands at 1,2 million.
The Cape fur seals occupy 26 colonies along the coastline.
Female seal numbers stand at around 600 000. 350 000 male seals were counted and seal pup numbers stand at an estimated 254 554.
The scientific report also shows that despite the high number of seals allocated to the harvesters, sealers have not come close to harvesting the total allowable numbers since 2007.
In 2011, 44 798 pups were harvested and 1 085 bulls. In 2010, 43 178 seal pups were harvested, and 3 412 bulls.
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2012 Cheetah Conservation Awards – Bios (17.07.2012)
2012 Cheetah Conservation Farmer of the Year: Melba Tjozongoro
An Agricultural Extension Officer in Gobabis, Melba Tjozongoro grew up on a farm in Hereroland and her love for small stock has stayed with her all her life. Melba first came into contact with CCF in 2004, when she attended a week-long course on livestock, wildlife and predator management. There, she was excited to learn that donkeys, owned by many Namibian farmers, were very effective in guarding calves.
Last year Melba returned to CCF to buy some of our surplus goats and sheep. She was a very astute judge of livestock and armed with her clipboard she carefully assessed the animals, selecting only the best! She now has 195 goats and 85 sheep, no small accomplishment for a Namibian woman whose working life began in subsistence farming.
As an Agricultural Extension Officer she passes on her experience and skills to other farmers, thus setting an example to all Namibian farmers in her determination to learn farming skills, her desire to reduce livestock/predator conflict and her work in teaching and guiding new farmers.
Melba Tjozongoro is a woman of admirable achievement and is a most worthy recipient of the 2012 Cheetah Conservation Farmer of the Year Award.
2012 Cheetah Conservation Business of the Year: Continental Outdoor Media
Continental Outdoor Media is Africa’s largest billboard advertising company, operating in 14 sub-Saharan countries. The company’s logo is a cheetah. With a strong corporate “green” policy, the company is supporting cheetah and wild dog conservation in Namibia, Zambia, Botswana and Zimbabwe.
Continental Outdoor Media is leading the way in the clever use of available resources to benefit both the company and environmental causes. Through the inspired leadership of Harald Fülle, the company’s Namibian General Manager, Continental Outdoor Media is making very effective use of otherwise blank outdoor advertising boards, filing them with eye-catching and informative “advertisements” about conservation issues. In Namibia the subject of the advertisements is the cheetah.
Feedback from these high visibility boards has been very positive and Continental Outdoor Media is demonstrating the potential for other companies to bring otherwise idle or unproductive resources to effective support of conservation causes. Both company and conservation gain from this approach.
2012 Cheetah Conservationist of the Year: Dr. Dennis Profitt
Dr. Dennis Profitt was born in Pretoria and completed his schooling at Windhoek High School. He then studied dentistry at the University of Stellenbosch, where he was honoured with a university medal as Best Student.
In 1986 Dr. Profitt began his dental practice in Otjiwarongo and for almost 20 years he has also treated CCF’s cheetahs. At times he has had cheetahs sitting in his patient’s chair as he carried out dental procedures on them.
Dennis works hard to stay abreast of the latest dental advances and he has attended conferences and courses around the world. He is planning a “bush outreach” programme, which will involve taking a specially equipped trailer to disadvantaged communities, thus allowing people in these areas to receive quality dental care.
In addition to his varied dental practice, Dennis has served on school boards, is a Rotarian, holds a commercial pilot’s licence and enjoys camping, sailing, metal work, adventure motor biking and reading.
2012 Gala Guest Speakers: Doug and Kris Tompkins
Both having been outdoor enthusiasts from a young age, Doug Tompkins founded outdoor clothing and equipment company The North Face in 1966 and later co-founded the clothing company Esprit, which grew into a multinational company with over US$1 billion in sales. Kris Tompkins started to work for an outdoor company which later became the internationally recognised outdoor company Patagonia, Inc. During her 20 years as CEO of Patagonia, Kris helped its founder Yvon Chouinard build the company into a renowned anti-corporation and a leader in the outdoor apparel industry.
In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Doug’s and Kris’ lives changed direction after Doug had sold his share in Esprit and Kris retired from Patagonia. They became increasingly interested in environmental activism and moved to southern Chile where they started to work full time on conservation initiatives. Doug created the Foundation for Deep Ecology, as well as The Conservation Land Trust, an organisation that works to protect wildlands, primarily in Chile and Argentina, while Kris founded Conservación Patagónica, an NGO focused on creating new national parks that protect and restore Patagonia’s wildland, biodiversity and communities.
Both Doug and Kris have been widely recognised for their environmental work and have received accolades such as the “Good Steward Award” from the International Conservation Caucus Foundation and “Environmental Leader of the Year” award from Latin Trade.
Prior to the CCF Gala, the Tompkins have been touring Namibia, visiting CCF, Save the Rhino, NamibRand Nature Reserve, Etosha and Ongava to learn more about Namibia’s conservation initiatives.
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 A tale of the fairies and their circles (06.07.2012)
Although highly visible in grasslands, fairy circles are not exclusive to vegetated areas of the region. Just as powder will reveal a fingerprint, so grasslands may serve to expose the presence of fairy circles. Gretel’s keen eye discovered that these nearly circular depressions continue even in the absence of vegetation! Many decades of research by a number of scientists produced fascinating clues to the puzzle that we know as the fairy circles:
• Fairy circles debut as nearly circular zones with severely stressed (yellowing/greying) plants.
• The stressed plants do not survive and eventually a bare soil patch develops (mature fairy circle).
• After rain, seedlings appear in a fairy patch, fail to thrive and ultimately do not survive.
• Fairy circles range in size, from small to super-sized structures (even up to a kilometre), and in shape, e.g. circular, elliptical, or elongated pockmarks.
• Fairy circles are often surrounded by a halo of flourishing vegetation.
• Fairy circles may contain different plant species (e.g. annuals or shorter lived species), while perennials usually grow between the circles.
• Fairy circles have more moisture.
• It is no surprise that insects, amongst others, are attracted to fairy circles, given that circles are a source of moisture and the surrounding halo of relatively lush vegetation provides food and shelter.
• Fairy circles have unusual microbial population patterns.
• Fairy circles contain a significantly higher density of microbial organisms that thrive in an oxygen poor environment than outside the circles. Mycorrhiza, which are considered to be oxygen loving organisms, are mainly absent in the roots of plants growing inside fairy circles, whereas they are generally present in the roots of plants growing outside the circles.
• Fairy circles are zones with altered soil chemistry: even in the laboratory, plants show poor growth and eventually do not survive when planted in soil collected from fairy circles. This stress response is not observed for plants growing in soils collected from outside the circles.
• Fairy circles are zones with a subsurface seep factor: plants growing in circle soil placed in containers with sealed bottoms do survive. However, once the bottom of the container is removed the plants wither and die.
• A mathematical study shows that the space-filling nature of fairy circles' distribution is either random, or it shows self-organising features, or it is spatially independent.
• Baby circles appear, as if by magic, when it rains. Often these satellite circles appear close to a parent (bare soil) circle.
Dr Harald van der Werff, an expert on geological remote sensing in the faculty of Geo-Information Science and Earth Observation (ITC) of the University of Twente in The Netherlands, has published extensively on circular geo-botanical phenomena (called halos) associated with gas and hydrocarbon seepage. On being asked if these halos of stressed vegetation and bare soil spots (resembling “our” fairy circles) are unusual, he replied thus:
"…halos caused by gas are a wide-spread phenomenon. I came across a book of a Shell exploration geologist, written in 1947. This man already noted the circles as a well-known indicator for seepage in Indonesia (then a Dutch colony), and this was mentioned in a way that reflected it was actually public knowledge. More to the point, I have confirmations of halos found in the UK (carbon dioxide), Italy (hydrocarbons) and California (hydrocarbons)." Describing halos in Hungary: "In any way, the gas simply follows the easiest route up. At the top, the recent sediments (now soils) cover the older faults, leading the gas to rise more dispersed, creating a tulip-like structure which is seen at the surface as a circle." Describing gas/hydrocarbon seep circles in general: "Seeps can bring up water - a reason why you can not only find stressed but also green vegetation, sometimes at the same time. A small amount of hydrocarbon might also act as a fertilizer…So, it's complicated … I studied seepages that result from geothermal and seismic pressure. These are bound to seismically active regions, typically plate boundaries. Depending on source and the structure of the substratum, the migration mechanism and resulting surface patterns differ. Microseepage can also occur completely diffuse, where an area of several km2 might be affected as if it was one big 'circle' anomaly. The seeps I studied all had a central vent, and are thus not diffuse, apart from dispersion in the few meters of soil close to the surface. Depending on soil condition, and the substratum, the sizes can thus differ enormously - the very reason why remote sensing of these phenomena is difficult, as each seep may look different."
So, the fairy circle phenomenon is not unique to southern Africa. Any of several geobotanical anomalies can appear in an area of hydrocarbon microseepage. These can take the form of vegetation sparseness, stress effects, and species differences. We propose a brand new consideration to the perplexing puzzle: natural gas venting from below is the fairy circle maker. We discovered that periodic degassing from below takes place in fairy circles. We also detected low volatility hydrocarbon complex mixtures and fossil fuel biomarkers, pristane and phytane, in the soils of baby fairy circles. This discovery supports our hypothesis of natural gas from below causing chemically altered zones, and triggering stunted growth of vegetation, resulting in fairy circles. Since the fairy circles bear an uncanny resemblance to offshore gas pockmark fields, it is perhaps no coincidence then that the region, both onshore and offshore, is extensively covered by gas and hydrocarbon prospecting licences.
A geochemical origin of the Namibian fairy circles seems to tick all the boxes.
Yvette Naudé, Gretel van Rooyen and Egmont Rohwer
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Mashi Tourism Hub inaugurated (02.07.2012)
The Mashi Tourism Hub, situated in the heart of the Caprivi region, received the official nod from Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah last week. The Minister of Environment and Tourism, together with the Mashi Traditional Chief Tembwe Mayuni, unveiled the Tourism Hub plaque at the environmentally friendly designed craft centre on Thursday.
The tourism hub, situated at the small town of Kongola, took root in 2996 when seven women from the area, with the help of the Integrated Rural Development and Nature Conservation (IRDNC) launched a craft selling enterprise.
Today, the Mashi craft centre has attracted 325 conservancy members, 306 of whom are women, who sell their crafts here. To date a quarter of a million Namibian dollars have been generated for the conservancies.
Chief Tembwe on Thursday said the hub is a central point from which local women are able to act as natural resource monitors who help integrate the community into the community based natural resource management (CBNRM) programme and to work with recources such as palm, bark and thatch.
Chief Tembwe Mayuni, Mashi Traditional Authority
“This hub, combined with our park’s and conservancies will attract tourism into our area for the benefit of the people and our country”.
Nandi-Ndaitwah said the tourism hub has been constructed with the support from the World Bank through the ICEMA project, the Strengthening Protected Areas project (SPAN) and local conservation NGO’s”.
The tourism information centre will serve as a source of additional income for the conservancies in Mudumu North and Mudumu South and their members.
In addition to the anticipated income, the community will benefit through the creation of casual and permanent employment opportunities, the exhibition of local culture and the sale of locally made craft.
“This centre will serve the whole tourism industry, as information to be given will not be limited to some areas”.
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N/a’an ku sê mourns cat killings (02.07.2012)
Three collared cheetahs shot
Three collared cheetahs were shot and killed “unnecessarily” on a private farm in the south of Namibia six months ago. It is believed the killings were unprovoked and the meat of the three cats was distributed and eaten by farm employees.
The three majestic cats formed part of the rehabilitation centre at the N/a’an ku sê Foundation and has left staff there deeply saddened, disappointed and shocked.
According to a press release by the foundation, the cheetahs’s were released into the wild in 2011 and were being monitored regularly via the GPS tracking divides attached to their collars. They were welcomed with open arms by Willie Agenbag, owner of the Standfontein Reserve in the south of Namibia.
In January however the cats moved onto the “Silwerstroom property of Bertus Fokkens, where unfortunately they were unnecessarily shot by the farm manager Dawie Olivier”. The foundation alleges that they believe the meat was then “fed to the workers”.
A spokesperson said that the matter could not be dealt with by the police, because according to Namibian law the incident was not illegal. She added that it took six months to report the incident due to behind the scene complications.
She concluded sadly that “we worked very hard with the cheetahs and it is quite a disappointment when this happens”.
Dr. Rudie van Vuuren, Director of the N/a’an ku sê foundation, let it be known that “all the time, money and passion we had invested in these three cats were destroyed by human ignorance”.
Van Vuuren refused to have his passion dampened however,and said that “we remain positive about carnivore conservation and focus our time and resources on farmers and landowners who want to conserve and want to farm in ways that benefit both them and the animals. And trust me, there are many of them”.
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Ombudsman: Seal harvest legal but changes needed (29.06.2012)
The long-awaited report dealing with the complaints of animal-rights groups on Namibia's annual seal harvest was released by Ombudsman John Walters last week.
The in-depth study on the issue, during which the Ombudsman looked at the legalities of the harvest as well as whether the method in which seals were harvested was humane, took more than eight months to complete.
In his findings, Advocate Walters stated that the legal framework Namibia had put in place for the sustainable utilisation of living natural resources ‘is well anchored’ and that there was a clear commitment to the management of the country's marine resources.
The Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources sets an annual allowable catch, which the Ministry claims is based on regularly updated scientific data.
In the report by the Ombudsman, Dr J-P Roux is quoted as saying that according to official policies: "We are harvesting seals on a sustainable basis, that is we are trying to keep the population at a productive and safe level so as to sustain future harvests, as well as other non-consumptive uses, such as tourism."
According to Dr Roux, the Ministry has released scant data on the science behind the seal harvest, but has stated that the current population stands at around 700 000 individuals and that the current allowable catch is 6 000 males and 80 000 pups per season. The allowable catch is revised annually.
He found further that the harvesting of seals was legal. The Ombudsman stated that seals, as wild animals, did not fall within the ambit of the definition of animals in the Animal Protection Act (APA), and thus the sealers and authorities were not in breach of the law.
However, the Ombudsman recommended that the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources, which he pointed out were "…very reluctant to part with information, even to the Ombudsman," should consider that knowledge of all scientific data linked to seal harvesting was in the public interest.
He noted that while he had no "…adequate or sufficient grounds in law and fact to recommend that the Namibian Government stop the annual seal harvest," he nevertheless recommended that without further delay the Ministry of Fisheries should publish in the Gazette all texts concerning conservation and management measures adopted under any international agreement to which Namibia was party.
Moreover, he urged Government to consider independent monitoring of the harvest and to release data regarding the total number of the seal population and quota sizes annually.
The Ombudsman found further that there was no doubt that the export of seal products took place legally, and was in line with CITES regulations.
"The Ministry of Environment and Tourism issues CITES export permits, not the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources," he added.
He pointed out that the method in which the pups were killed, the so-called stunning and sticking method, was the ‘most practical’ way to harvest the young seal pups.
Ron Thomson, who claims he had witnessed the harvesting programme, said that it "…was executed extremely well and humanely. I have been working in the national parks and wildlife management professions for more than 50 years and have considerable experience in the culling of animals. Consequently I wish to state that I believe the actual seal harvest that I witnessed at Cape Cross in Namibia could not have been accomplished better in any other way."
The Ombudsman concluded that according to his research, "A club strike on the head of a pup (although it may appear brutal) is humane if it achieves rapid, irreversible loss of consciousness and leads to death."
His findings were based partly on an assessment commissioned by the World Wildlife Fund in 2005. With reference to video evidence, the WWF report stated that the ‘perception of the seal hunt seems to be based largely on emotion, and on visual images that are often difficult, even for experienced observers, to interpret with certainty. While a hakapik strike on the skull of a seal appears brutal, it is humane if it achieves rapid and irreversible loss of consciousness that leads to death."
He warned, however, that it had come to his attention that the Namibian harvest did not always comply with the ‘four steps’ method of effective hitting/shooting, effective monitoring, effective bleeding out, and effective implementation.
He noted that there was nevertheless room for improvement and agreed with the opinion that ‘an appropriate remedy would be to lobby for the amendment’ of regulations to ensure increased effective and humane harvesting.
He recommended several adjustments to the requirements during the seal harvest, including the fact that regulations did not require the sealers to be trained and competent in the procedures they used, including killing methods, monitoring deaths, and so on.
Many have argued that the economics of seal hunting does not make sense, and that it would be in Namibia's best interests to focus rather on seal-watching activities, which would allegedly lead to bigger economic successes.
However, according to the Ombudsman’s report, the current unemployment rate in Namibia was over fifty per cent, and even ‘a few jobs make a difference’.
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Caprivi tourism potential being tapped (29.06.2012)
"… a few insightful elders understood our vision of wildlife being more valuable alive than in cooking pots. We will be ashamed one day to show our grandchildren pictures in books of the wild animals here and admit that they are all gone …"
Chief Tembwe Mayuni, Mashi Traditional Chief, Caprivi Region – 28 June 2012
The north-eastern Caprivi region of Namibia is increasingly flexing it’s tourism muscle. The five national parks in north-eastern Namibia (Bwabwata, Mudumu, Mamili, Mangetti and Khaudum) form the geographic core of the recently launched Kavango-Zambezi (KAZA) transfrontier conservation area.
KAZA compromises a total area of 44 million hectares (about half the size of Namibia) and encapsulates extraordinary natural attractions and a largely untapped tourism potential.
Namibia’s Caprivi region, most of which is under some type of conservation protection, forms the beating heart of the KAZA region, which includes Namibia, Zambia, Angola, Zimbabwe and Botswana.
On Thursday the Minister of Environment and Tourism, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, together with Germany’s soon to be retired ambassador to Namibia Egon Kochanke, officially presided over the ground-breaking ceremony heralding the start of the construction of two new park management stations within the Bwabwata and Mudumu National Parks.
The upgrade of staff housing, tourism facilities and government offices within these parks marks Namibia’s commitment to KAZA and to Nambibia’s own unique conservation programmes. Furthermore, Namibia is increasingly realising the value of the north-east as a tourism diamond in the rough.
As stated by by Lawrence Alfea Sampofu, the Governor of the Caprivi region at the proceedings, the two parks “are of considerable international conservation importance” and are “strategically positioned to act as a key KAZA transboundary corridor for wildlife movement and a tourism centre”.
Sampofu added that “the rivers and the adjacent wetlands create completely different scenes from desert and arid landscapes” elsewhere in Namibia.
Nandi-Ndaitwah noted that the north-eastern parks of Namibia have the potential to “bring in maximum yields for the country as they offer new areas and routes for tourist to explore”, but admitted that this potential is “only just being tapped”.
Ambassador Kochanke said that the upgrade of facilities in the parks, especially the Susuwe park station, is “overdue”. He complimented park staff who work in “this beautiful but remote and often harsh and dangerous environment”.
Kochanke said that “well designed and carefully planned park stations are important preconditions” to park management in addition to other key roles.
The Environment minister added that the sustainable use of wildlife through tourism, trophy hunting and other forms of wildlife uses is well entrenched in Namibia’s park management programmes “for the benefit of the park residents and neighbours”.
About 6 000 people live within Bwabwata National park and make a living through the sustainable use of fauna and flora in the area. The harvest of devil’s claw generates around N$300 000 a year and trophy hunting concessions put millions of dollars into the pockets of local communities.
As the Mashi Chief said on Thursday, all improvements in the park are an “investment to our new generations to know the different kinds of species we have and for their financial benefits from tourism and wildlife”.
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 NID connects the dots (22.06.2012)
The Namibian Institute of Democracy (NID) last night launched the Connecting the Dots project as a means to enhance public knowledge on the work of Civil Society Organisations (CSO).
Said Naita Hishoono, program director for the NID, “With Connecting the Dots, NID wants to create awareness on the work of NGOs, mainly to clarify misconceptions about the role of NGOs in our society. Another point to highlight is the tireless efforts of ordinary citizens engaged with voluntary work in their communities. The project also highlights and promotes volunteerism and a sense of solidarity amongst Namibians. Finally, the more knowledge you have of NGOs working in Namibia, the more empowered you will be.”
Civil Society Organisations are also called Non-Governmental Organisations, Faith-Based Organisations, or Community-Based Organisations. These entities work outside government, however they complement the services that government and the private sector supply to the people.
Minister of Information and Communication Technology, Joel Kaapanda added, “Connecting the Dots brings us together to celebrate the power of joining forces between media, business, government and CSOs. Let us not forget that the faces within all of these organisations spring and flow from the same communities. We can all work together towards preserving and regenerating our beautiful Namibian nation. Connecting the Dots connects you, me and us.”
The evening was held at the Playhouse Theatre in Windhoek and included the screening of eight short documentaries about various CSOs, comedy by Free Your Mind and music by Shishani, Ru and Qonja. (Marita van Rooyen)
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Hilton chef crowned Namibia's top chef (22.06.2012)
By Jana-Mari Smith
The heat was on at the annual Namibian Chef of the Year competition on Thursday night, which drew Namibian culinary devotees together to celebrate the burgeoning food culture in our country.
Apart from a delicious menu prepared by three top South African chefs and a cheese platter, a few surprises were also dished up.
Six students from the Stampriet-based Elnatan Private School pushed their competition aside, taking home first, second and third prizes for Best School Team 2012.
In the Senior Chef category reigning king of chefs, David Thomas from Lyons des Sables in Walvis Bay – who had taken home the top prize in 2010 and 2011 – was toppled from his throne by Tersia Mettler, a chef plying her craft at the Hilton Hotel in Windhoek.
In the individual school entries, Melany Potgieter from WHS took home the top prize, while in the Junior Chef category Abby Rowley du Toit, a teacher from Windhoek International School, surprised with a win, despite being only one of two cooks out of 11 in the category who are not permanently employed as chefs.
Guests at the event were treated to an avant-garde menu prepared by three South African chefs, Arnold Tanzer, Richard Pearce and Nicky Gibbs. These three chefs not only dished up mouth-watering cuisine, but also donned the role of judges for this year's competition.
The judges' difficult task was to rate the chefs’ professional presentation, including skills used, and the visual appeal of the final dish. Taste naturally played a critical role, as well as textures, consistency and how well the food was prepared.
Since many amateur chefs fail to adhere to kitchen cleanliness, these chefs were also judged on kitchen hygiene, storage practices, correct use of utensils, and cleanliness – vital aspects in any professionally run kitchen.
Overall, the evening provided keen foodies and chefs with an opportunity to celebrate the art of cooking and food, and gave them a chance to mingle with like-minded, MasterChef-following food lovers.
Overall, the night provided keen foodies and chefs a chance to celebrate the art of cooking, a celebration of food and a chance to mingle with like-minded, Masterchef loving, food lovers.
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Namibian conservation draws another prize (21.06.2012)
The 2012 Markhor Award for Outstanding Conservation Performance has been won jointly by the Ministry of Environment and Tourism (MET) and the Namibian Association of CBNRM Support Organizations (NACSO).
In the notification letter addressed to the Environment Minister Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, the International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation recognized the outstanding conservation performance of Namibian Communal Conservancies as a jointly supported programme of the Ministry and of NACSO.
In the nomination for the MET and NACSO, Chris Weaver, Director of WWF in Namibia, stated that “The sustainable use of wildlife has been a strong catalyst to the recovery of wildlife in communal areas of Namibia, as participating conservancies have been quick to recognize that wildlife is more valuable alive than poached. As a result, poaching has become socially unacceptable and game numbers have staged remarkable recoveries in most areas where conservancies have operated for a period of time.”
In giving the Award to the MET and NACSO for the Namibia Communal Conservancy Movement, the International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation took note that the introduction of communal conservancies in Namibia, and their growth, had “initiated a paradigm shift in community attitudes towards wildlife.”
In the 1980’s, as a result of drought and rampant poaching, wildlife populations were under extreme threat. Now, in contrast, wildlife is seen as a growing asset by rural communities.
Through the Markhor Award, the International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation honours conservation projects that link human livelihoods with the conservation of biodiversity.
The Award recognizes and celebrates outstanding conservation performance that links the conservation of biodiversity and human livelihoods through the application of the principles of sustainable use, in particular hunting, as part of wildlife and ecosystem management.
The award is granted every two years at the Conference of Parties to the Convention on Biodiversity, which was adopted in Rio de Janeiro in 1992, and to which Namibia is a signatory.
Communal conservancies are required by the MET to have a sustainable game management plan, according to which game may be harvested for trophy hunting, live capture and sale, and for distribution as meat.
Sustainable harvesting results in viable and managed wildlife populations, which have have grown exponentially in communal conservancy areas since independence.
The MET has promoted this recovery by translocating large numbers of animals to communal conservancies. Since the onset of the translocation programme in 1999, the MET has moved more than 8,300 head of game to communal conservancies.
Notably, some of the wildlife moved include previously endangered or valuable species, such as black rhino, sable antelope, black faced impala, and giraffe. The translocation of these valuable animals to conservancies is an indicator of the confidence the MET places in the Communal Conservancy Programme that is jointly, supported by the MET and NACSO.
The work of the MET and NACSO in supporting the Namibia Communal Conservancy Movement has led to a widespread and sustained growth of wildlife populations in Namibia, where communal conservancies have grown from 4, in 1998, to 76 in 2012, covering almost 19 percent of the country. The income from sustainable hunting pays for conservancy salaries – including game guards – and places many conservancies on a sound financial footing.
INTERESTING FACT:
The name ‘Markhor”comes from Pakistan’s threatened mountain goat species, of which population numbers have multiplied 25 times in recent years because of sustainable hunting tourism. Income from hunting has benefited the local people and increased their interest in conserving wildlife.
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Up close and personal with Namibia's coast (21.06.2012)
If you’ve ever wanted a complete summary of Namibia’s coastline, its people and animals, its unique weather patterns and landscapes, its past and its future, look no further.
This month a beautifully designed book outlining the ‘fascinating and complex mix of richness and paucity’ that is our coastline, saw the light.
Namibia’s Coast: Ocean Riches and Desert Treasures, written by Tony Robertson, Alice Jarvis, John Mendelsohn and Roger Swart, is in itself a treasure chest containing all you need to know about ‘the warm and dry Namib Desert [that] stands in stark contrast to the cold waters of the Benguela Current, which is so biologically productive’.
The book grew out of the wish to share the information collected by the Namibian Coast Conservation and Management (NACOMA) Project established in 2006.
The objective of the book – as is that of NACOMA – is to improve the awareness of coastal biodiversity, the environmental challenges it entails and the value of Namibia’s coastal resources. The book is also aimed at promoting the concept of an integrated coastal management strategy.
Although the book does sometimes veer towards the scientific, it is nevertheless a must-read for a wider audience, including Namibians wishing to carve out a better understanding of one of the world’s most unique landscapes, tourists, students and the general public.
Beautiful photographs and useful illustrations are sprinkled throughout the seven chapters of the book. Each chapter is subdivided into easy-to-read-and-understand sections, making the book a good and informative reference work.
Namibia’s Coast: Ocean Riches and Desert Treasures is a must-read for anyone keen on Namibia – in whichever shape or form.
The book is available for N$295.00 at the following outlets:
Swakopmund at Swakopmunder Buchhandlung & Die Muschel Book and Art CC
Walvis Bay at the Namib Times newspaper offices
Windhoek at the Windhoeker Buchhandlung, the New Book Cellar & Book Den
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SPAN project applauded (20.06.2012)
One of the Ministry of Environment and Tourism’s most successful projects has received international recognition.
In June, the Namibia’s Strengthening the Protected Area Network (SPAN) Project was selected as one of the four most successful Global Environment Facility (GEF) projects in the world.
The SPAN Project, which was launched in 2006, has played a pivotal role in creating an understanding of the value of protected areas in Namibia. Not only was it focused on the role protected areas play in conservation, but also on the contribution such areas can make to a country’s economy.
In the past six years three new protected areas were created with the help of SPAN. These include the 2.2-million-hectare Sperrgebiet National Park, which covers more than 1.5 million hectares of the Succulent Karoo Biome, a globally recognised biodiversity hotspot.
In north-eastern Namibia the Bwabwata National Park was proclaimed in 2007 by consolidating two existing areas, the Mahango and Caprivi Game Parks, and adding a sliver of biodiversity-rich land on the Kwando River that forms a major wildlife corridor between Botswana, Namibia and Angola.
Above and beyond simply establishing protected areas, however, Namibia has done something far more important, in fact something that may yet prove a model for the rest of the world. Namibia is beginning to show how protected areas can contribute to a nation’s broader economy.
The SPAN Project fostered innovative thinking about the role of protected areas in Namibia and beyond. The project has assisted in providing understanding of the role protected areas can play in both conservation and economic development, and which steps are required to turn that potential into reality.
As a result, the people of Namibia now have a deeper appreciation for the importance of managing and developing protected areas, critical habitats and important plant and animal species so as to preserve biological diversity and ecosystems for use by present and future generations and to generate global benefits.
The Project will be showcased at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, affectionately referred to as the Rio+20 Summit. The summit takes place from 20 to 22 June.
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 Experts say Africa could become green growth model (20.06.2012)
RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil – Innovative sources of finance and resources from the private sector are key to achieving sustainable development in Africa, African leaders and world experts said yesterday at the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, or Rio+20, in Rio de Janeiro.
Speaking at a high level panel on “Financing Sustainable Development in Africa”, African states and their partners discussed resource mobilization for sustainable development – both domestically and internationally.
The panel also addressed the divide between the managers of money (international finance institutions – development banks, donors etc.) and facilitators of development (e.g. NGOs, CSOs).
Institutions that have access to global financial resources are sometimes constrained by their inability to effectively operate at a level where sustainable development initiatives are undertaken in a meaningful manner.
On the other hand, those who are able to do so are often either unable to raise the resources they need or are denied access to institutions who have such resources.
While green growth is often perceived as an expensive pathway to development, Aly Abou-Sabaa, chair of the African Development Bank (AfDB) Climate Change Coordination Committee observed that “not all green development options are expensive as many could derive benefits”.
Through its various activities supporting the transition towards a green economy in Africa, the AfDB has identified huge opportunities for the continent.
Ibrahim Thiaw, Director, Environmental Policy Implementation at United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) said “two of the main issues plaguing the continent, namely desertification and waste management, represent some of the main opportunities”.
He explained that “desertification has the potential for land restoration, reforestation and creation of green jobs, conservation of biodiversity, recharging of underground water sources and agricultural activities”.
The perception of sustainable development requirements, from a burden or a risk, to a new set of opportunities, is novel.
The transformation of African economies to a green growth model offers an opportunity to mobilize additional resources. The current infrastructure gap in Africa puts it in a position to “leap-frog” to more advanced technologies and infrastructure, allowing it to deal with pressing development needs while reducing the environmental footprint.
Country representatives and development partners agreed that sustainable development commitments need to be made within the continent. It is also essential that these commitments are coupled with a reassurance that their implementation is feasible within a broader context, they said.
Distributed by the African Press Organization on behalf of the African Development Bank – 20 June 2012
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 Springbok Atlas business model change (20.06.2012)
Springbok Atlas Tours & Safaris has partnered up with Grosvenor Tours, effectively creating a single entity operating under multiple brands. Both the companies are owned by Imperial, one of South Africa's leading companies in the transport for hire business.
Gary Lotter, CEO of Springbok and Grosvenor, announced that while the two operations have been brought together to create operational and administrative synergies, they will continue to operate as separate brands and independently in their specific market niche.
He explained that both brands will "continue to operate with independent reservations and sales teams".
However, the companies have consolidated their product buying for both brands and will be engaging in joint purchasing by a single merged team under the leadership of Martin Wiemers, Director for our Namibian business and Sonia Grunewald, product, contracting and tour systems manager for the South African products.
In addition, Springbok Atlas and Grosvenor Tours will share a merged support and administrative infrastructure in areas such as finance, administration, marketing support, IT and more.
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Rio +20 participants speak out (20.06.2012)
Participants at the Fair Ideas conference – hosted by the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) – did not shy away from making bold statements about what must happen to ensure development is fair, green and sustainable.
The Fair Ideas conference took place from 16 to 17 June as part of the run-up to the Rio +20 conference.
“IIED drew on its extensive network of partners and allies — built over our 40 years of research into sustainable development — to gather a world-class set of speakers and thinkers at our event in Rio,” says IIED’s director Camilla Toulmin. “Over two days of intense and enlightening debate, the participants at our Fair Ideas conference were able to show that sustainable development is not out of reach, but that solutions exist. The energy and ambition to take this agenda forward exists too, among those governments and businesses that understand that maintaining the status quo is not an option. Where they lead, others will follow or be left behind.”
Here are some excerpts made by attendees:
Ida Auken, Environment Minister, Denmark: “Brown economy has hit the wall and failed… Inclusive green economy is not only a way to go, it is the only way to go. Green economy is not about limiting growth – it is about enabling growth.”
Achim Steiner, Executive Director, UN Environment Programme (UNEP): “If you look at the official negotiations now you get an image of a world that is at a loss for what to do. The summit is like the vortex at the eye of a storm. To come here 20 years after the first Rio summit and see the depressing picture of what’s happened since should shake us out of our complacency. It’s an indictment of those of us who work on these issues: we elect politicians, shape markets, and choose leaders who get away with the kinds of policies we then lament. The summit should be a moment of introspection for the sustainable development community.”
René Castro, Minister of Environment and Energy in Costa Rica: “Initially we protected national parks and wildlife regions, with a ‘don’t take, don’t touch’ approach, but this was unsustainable. And so we shifted from full protection to promoting multiple uses — protection of forest cover is now combined with agroforestry to provide farmers with an extra income to incentivise having more trees.”
Paula Cabellero, Director of Economic, Social and Environmental Affairs, Government of Colombia: “We now have to make very difficult decisions that transcend business-as-usual scenarios. These will be hard. These will be expensive.”
Estebancio Castro Diaz, head of the International Alliance of Indigenous and Tribal Peoples of the Tropical Forests: “Change needs to come from the grassroots, not UN tables.”
Shrashtant Patara, Vice President, Development Alternatives, India: “Social enterprises combine the strengths of business with the objectives of government to address social problems.”
Falguni Guaray, Coordinator, Servicio de Información Mesoamericano Sobre Agricultura Sostenible (SIMAS), Nicaragua: “Informality is not a lack of formality. It’s a strategy on its own.”
Bihunirwa Medius, Head of the Farmer Enterprise Development Unit, Kabarole Research and Resource Centre, Uganda: “The most successful partnerships are made through local leaders who understand the social values of farmers. This process is based on informality. There are no contracts, but there is understanding of local values.”
Pavan Sukhdev, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Green Initiatives for a Smart Tomorrow (GIST) Advisory: “The economy won’t change unless corporations behave differently. And if the economy doesn’t change then we can’t have sustainable development.”
Steve Bass, Group Head, Sustainable Markets Group, IIED: “Markets are a social construct and not a law of physics so we need mechanisms that shape the market to deliver what society wants”
Steven Stone, Chief of Economics and Trade Branch, UNEP: “Markets are what we make them — let us concentrate on fixing them.”
Sekai Catherine Chiremba of the Zimbabwe Homeless People’s Federation’s Leadership Council: “A dollar a month saved for a family means nothing; but a dollar a month per family in a whole community suddenly becomes more meaningful.”
Maria Sonia Vicenta Fadrigo, Western Visayas Regional Coordinator, Homeless Peoples Federation, The Philippines: “We should not under estimate the power of communities — communities in informal settlements will not make the economy green if they are excluded.”
Tim Jackson, Professor of Sustainable Development, University of Surrey, UK: “Can we really grow forever on a finite planet? This is an appeal, at the end of the day, to human ingenuity: are we clever enough to figure it out?”
Julia Marton-LeFèvre, head of IUCN: “Knowledge is the greatest tool for human progress but it won’t suffice — we also need leadership and determination to work together,” said.
Lidia Brito, Director of Science Policy and Capacity Building, Natural Sciences, UNESCO, Mozambique: “If you have knowledge, you are empowered to choose your options; the wiser we are, the better we can cope with difficult decisions.”
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 Namibia Country Lodges close shop (14.06.2012)
Jana-Mari Smith
After one and a half decades in the tourism industry, the owners of Namibia Country Lodges have decided to put their properties and other tourist interests on the market.
The group members assured lodge staff, debtors and creditors that because the lodges were being sold as going concerns, their operation would remain unaffected within the immediate future.
This week shareholders Willem de Wet and Johan de Beer announced that due to the poor economic conditions in the tourism market globally, NCL lodges would be sold separately and not as one entity.
"Once we made the sale of individual properties possible, we received strong interest and several good offers," de Wet said.
According to the owners, negotiations are already at an advanced stage with regard to several properties, and ongoing in respect of others.
The NCL business entities include Twyfelfontein Country Lodge, Solitaire Country Lodge, Opuwo Country Hotel, Namushasha Country Lodge and Tsumkwe Country Hotel.
The group will also divest itself of its general stores, the Solitaire bakery, service stations, hunting concessions and aircraft refuelling points. The group has also been involved in operations in the community-based tourism sector.
De Beer announced that he would continue in this existing, diversified business direction, while de Wet said he would branch out into a different one.
All contact numbers and addresses remain the same. For further details, contact the main office at 061 374 750
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 Exclusive Reservations and Marketing makes its mark (14.06.2012)
Leana Marais of Exclusive Reservations and Marketing Namibia is a dynamic lady with an impressive service history. A woman who’s had a presence in the fields of nature conservation, tourism and medicine, she now markets twelve unique accommodation establishments situated across the country.
What sets her impressive profile apart is the fact that all these establishments are owner-managed and offer an excellent service, and that she has a passion for the tourism sector. Leana explains, “All the establishments have been carefully selected to provide our guests with a memorable stay in Namibia. In the group of establishments that we represent, we represent luxurious and historical accommodation offering activities ranging from game-viewing and bird-watching excursions, guided walks, hiking, riding, and visits to Himba settlements, to action adventure activities such as sand-boarding, quad-biking and dolphin tours.”
Establishments that fall under the Exclusive Reservations and Marketing banner are Bataleur Aviation, the Cheetah Conservation Fund, Gabus Game Ranch, Hoodia Desert Lodge, Lapa Lange Lodge, Laramon Tours, Mondjila Safari Camp, Oase Garni Guesthouse, Schutzenhaus, Sea Breeze Guesthouse, Waterberg Guest Farm and Villa Vista.
Leana adds that she always needs something extra to keep her busy and for that reason also manages the Elwierda Namibia Bus Services. With 16 buses, including 24-, 34-, and 44-seaters, Elwierda is fully geared to supply in the demands of group travellers.
www.exclusive.com.na
www.elwierda-namibia.com
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 Tourism Expo reaches new heights (13.06.2012)
Close to 20 000 visitors braved the cold snap in Windhoek last week to visit the 14th Namibia Tourism Expo.
A total of 19 518 visitors descended on the Windhoek Show Grounds, where the best of Namibia’s tourism and hospitality sectors were ready to show off their products.
In 2010, 18 798 visitors were recorded, with a slight increase to 18 985 visitors last year.
This year’s increased number of visitors did not come as a surprise, as the exhibitors had made a point of putting up high-quality stands few could resist passing without a closer look.
Organisers of the Namibia Tourism Expo say that this year the Expo offered a host of exciting opportunities for visitors.
These included Old Mutual’s flash mobs, during which employees, dressed in green, surprised visitors with songs and dance steps on the walkways between the exhibitions.
Moreover, the Republikein newspaper’s popular Bridal Pair of the Year was announced, as well as the overall winner of its annual amateur photographic competition.
On Friday night, old and young were able to catch a live Karen Zoid show, plus meet an up-and-coming Afrikaans rock band – Spoegwolf. These performances will form part of the Hart van Windhoek music festival later this year.
Overall, the Namibia Tourism Expo’s festival vibe and strong personal engagement elements will no doubt ensure that the event will continue growing year after year.
Organisers announced this week that DGB’s Wine lounge was voted the number one stand at the 2012 Tourism Expo. Windhoeker Jason Pea pocketed N$5 000 for voting for his favourite stand.
Other stand’s which received recognition for their interactiveness and general look included winners:
Platinum
Conservancy Tourism, Kempinski Namibia, Taleni Africa Holdings, Sun Sail Catamarans and Cymot.
Gold
Bushwhackers, Leading Lodges of Africa, Gondwana Collection Namibia, Reservation Destination, Lida Cleaning Services, Hotline Catering, Mabaruli African Safaris, South African Airways en South African High Commission, Legacy Hotels and Indonesia.
Silver
Distell Namibia, Powercell Namibia, Dani’s, GQI Hotels, Resorts & Spa’s, Emanya@ Etosha, Namib Mills – Bakpro, Lic Pools and Tau Taxidermy.
Bronze
World of Hygiene, Namib Foam, Kalahari Sands Hotel & Casino, Texas Butchery, Homeconomix, Central Technical Supplies (Geiger Engineering) and Lake Oanob Resort.
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Don't miss the adventure at the Tourism Expo this year (08.06.2012)
Tourism in Namibia continues to grow. At the launch of the 14th Namibian Tourism Expo yesterday, Environment and Tourism Minister Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah said that statistics show there was a 2 per cent increase in occupancy rates between 2010 and 2011.
Moreover, according to the Namibia Airports Company, there was an 8 per cent increase in arrival numbers from 2010 to 2011.
Besides this good news, the Minister also underlined the fact that the entire private and public tourism sector has shown strong support for Namibia’s bid to host the 2013 Adventure Travel World Summit.
The Expo’s official theme is adventure, and at the launch, each of the speakers emphasised and pinpointed Namibia’s allure and attractions, and the fact that the country is more than ready to host the event.
Namibia has been shortlisted as one of three finalists. An inspection team from the Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA) left the country only recently.
At the personal invitation of the Minister, ATTA’s president Shannon Stowell is currently in Namibia, and was one of the guests of honour at the Expo launch yesterday.
Stowell said that his brief visit to the country – during which he ‘kneeled before a chief, learnt to fly and caught a tiger fish’ – has left no doubt in his mind that Namibia is ‘a strong contender’.
Stowell added that in the next decade tourism was going to ‘explode’ and praised Namibia’s efforts to align tourism alongside conservation. He noted that countries such as Namibia, whose tourism drive is strongly linked to the protection and conservation of natural resources, are bound to become top-notch destinations that will always provide visitors with a unique experience.
Stowell explained that adventure tourism as ATTA members define it, is based on three main pillars: firstly that the destination has a strong connection to the outdoors; secondly that there is some kind of physical activity; and lastly, that visitors are able to meet and get to know local cultures. And Namibia, he said, offers all three.
Adventure travel is one of the fastest-growing segments in the industry, which represents US$89 billion in annual sales. The annual Adventure Travel World Summit sells out every year to over 700 executive level adventure tourism professionals.
The announcement for the summit host country will be made between June and August.
Jana-Mari Smith
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Tell a story that never gets boring! (08.06.2012)
Whether or not Namibia hosts the Adventure Travel summit next year, our country has already left its stamp on this growing industry.
According to Shannon Stowell, president of the Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA), the Namibian delegation’s megawatt presence at last year’s summit in Mexico left no doubt that Namibia was in the process of engraving itself in the DNA of the adventure-travel industry – to borrow a remark made by Stowell this morning at a presentation aimed at the tourism industry. “You’ve gotten into our heads,” Stowell assured all those present.
Stowell, who is in Namibia at the personal invitation of Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, Minister of Environment and Tourism, told travel-industry insiders today that surveys show that adventure tourism is growing at nearly triple the rate of general tourism. Current figures indicate an annual market growth of 17 per cent.
And while the adventure-tourism market is built on trust and personal relationships, there is room for new destination markets. Since Namibia’s appearance at the summit last year, buyers have been taking note. “Namibia is a breath of fresh air for us.”
What are adventure tourists looking for? While the definitions can border on the grey, the main three pillars are seen as a need for activities, a connection with nature, and an interaction with local culture. What adventure tourists hunger for, overall, is ‘authenticity’.
In terms of interacting with culture, Stowell warned, “You don’t want a situation where it feels like you’re at a petting zoo. That is the kiss of death”.
For Namibia, this is good news. Namibia’s groundbreaking and globally praised conservancy programme means that much of the land is in the hands of indigenous people, presenting a unique opportunity for adventure travellers and Namibian operators.
“This is where conservancies are so great,” Stowell said. He added that for ATTA members, destinations that foster ‘responsible tourism’ and put value on conservation and the protection of culture have a ‘super powerful’ attraction.
With Stowell’s message to operators this morning came a warning, however. He said the industry should know what its target market is, and not try to offer a product it cannot produce.
For those who think they have the right product for the adventure tourism market, Stowell gave a few tips, and some do’s and don’t’s.
Forge relationships with potential clients, but don’t oversell, and make sure your product matches your buyer’s expectations. Tell a unique story to pique interest. Direct engagement with a small, select clientele will get you places, whereas poorly managed mass marketing will land you in the trash can. Information is key, such as providing bios on your guides and offering familiarisation trips to potential clients.
Namibia’s approach at the Mexico summit last year was ‘one of the best approaches ever’, and guaranteed that the country was noticed. Now it is up to the industry to ensure that they tell a story that never gets boring.
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 TOSCO Trust launched (01.06.2012)
“Following a series of recent human/wildlife conflict incidents in Namibian communal lands, impassioned tour guides and tour operators came together to contribute towards improving the situation and assist with future conflict mitigation.” Felix Vallat, of Conservancy Safaris Namibia, and Permanent Secretary for the Tourism Supporting Conservation (TOSCO) organisation.
As a result, the TOSCO Trust was founded in early 2012 to legally generate funds and provide a communication platform for conservation in the tourism industry. The aim is to draw tourists to Namibia, as well as the general public and tourism stakeholders, to support conservation of Namibia’s natural resources through donations to TOSCO. Donations will be used to fund specific products approved by the Trust.
Projects supported by TOSCO in 2012 that contribute towards providing guidance to tourism operators and contributing to human-wildlife conflict mitigation include financing informative brochures for self-drivers and ‘no entry’ signboards, also contribute to the causes of the Desert Lion Conservation Project and Huab Lion Management Programme. Creation and implementation of each project is done in close collaboration with the Ministry of Environment and Tourism, Namibian conservancies, various NGOs and research projects meeting TOSCO’s objectives.
All tourism professionals who wish to play their part in promoting nature conservation and communal tourism are invited to join the TOSCO Trust.
www.tosco.org
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 Youth officers agree, “More Namibians need to be educated on sustainable living” (30.05.2012)
Fifteen youth officers and coordinators from the environmental education unit at the Ministry of Youth, National Service, Sport and Culture participated in a weeklong sustainable living programme at the Namib Desert Environmental Education Trust (NaDEET) Centre from 21 to 25 May this year.
“I have been trying to bring youth officers responsible for environmental education to NaDEET Centre for many years and am now pleased that it has finally materialised,” said the Directorate of Youth: Environmental Education Coordinator Siegfriedth Bandu. He went on to say that this opportunity has given youth officers’ skills in better addressing environmental needs of young people.
NaDEET Centre is based on the NamibRand Nature Reserve in the Hardap Region. For the past nine years it has been offering weeklong environmental education programmes to schoolchildren, youth and adults. Programmes focus on how Namibians can live a more sustainable lifestyle to improve their own livelihoods and protect our natural resources. With over 6000 participants, the programme has proven to be a leader in the field in southern Africa due to NaDEET’s “we practice what we teach” approach.
Youth officers participated in a “training of trainers” programme to enable them to improve the quality and content of the environmental education activities they offer to youth nation-wide. It covered current environmental problems and solutions, educational methods, activity and programme development and support material development. For centre-based staff it included a session on “greening” youth centres through infusing sustainable living practices in all aspects of the centre. One participant enthusiastically commented, “This was my first exposure to environmental education learning and I gained valuable skills that will help me to carry out my work differently.”
In order to improve the ability of the youth officers to implement what they have learned back in their workplaces with youth, NaDEET secured sponsorship from the Dutch-based COV fund to provide free-of-charge appropriate sustainable energy technology to the group. This included ten parabolic solar cookers and fifteen fuel-efficient stoves.
This training opportunity was made possible by funding from the European Union through a grant to empower Namibian communities to improve their living conditions. Empowered youth officers reflected this in their evaluation of the NaDEET programme by saying, “More Namibians need to be educated on sustainable living; so I feel more people need to get this first-hand experience as we did. Thank you very much for making this a reality.”
For more details, please visit the NaDEET website: www.nadeet.org or contact Viktoria Keding, vkeding@nadeet.org
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Namibia VolunTourism Forum (NVTF) formed (28.05.2012)
After a series of recent workshop on tourism under the guidance of the Directorate of Tourism and with the financial support of the Spanish Agency for International Development, Namibia’s first VolunTourism Forum was formed this month.
The tourism workshops under the facilitation of the Director of Tourism, Sem Shikongo and tourism consultant Wolfgang Schenck looked at various burning issues within the tourism industry including the issues surrounding VolunTourism.
The workshop was followed up by the inaugural meeting of the Namibia VolunTourism Forum (NVTF) held at the HAN offices in Windhoek. The NVTF was tasked to come forward with definitions of VolunTourism, assess the situation of visa requirements in Southern Africa for VolunTourists and to indicate how this tourism niche market can be developed.
The forum will now send their findings and inputs to the Directorate of Tourism (DOT), The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the Namibia Tourism Board (NTB).
“We are hoping that we can resolve the issues we have had with VolunTourists coming to our country very soon,” said Dr. Rudie van Vuuren, chairperson of the forum. “Namibia is ideal for developing this tourism niche which can sustain many good projects in our country, and we need all the support we can get to make it as easy as possible for tourists to come to Namibia.”
The Forum will have another meeting on 29 May to include interested parties and any organisation that is involved with volunteers or VolunTourism and is interested to attend the meeting please contact Wolfgang Schenck at voluntourismforum@ymail.com
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 Namibia’s NamibRand becomes a Dark Sky destination (28.05.2012)
Namibia’s NamibRand Nature Reserve – one of Africa’s largest private reserves – has officially become the world’s latest International Dark Sky Reserve (IDSR). Awarded this prestigious title by the International Dark Sky Association (IDSA), the owners of NamibRand now follow suit with other night-sky conservationists worldwide.
Bob Park, the IDSA’s Executive Director, explains: “The night sky over the NamibRand Nature Reserve is exceptional, as are the efforts the managers of the reserve have taken in modifying its lighting for the sake of its wildlife and visitors.”
Achieving this status is a significant accomplishment not only for NamibRand, but also for Namibia and the rest of Africa. NamibRand Nature Reserve is not only the first IDSR in Africa, but also the first in any developing country in the world. NamibRand was awarded a position in the Gold Tier category, which describes reserves with night-time environments that have little or no impact from light pollution and artificial light. NamibRand’s nearest neighbouring communities are small and lie some distance away. Accordingly the sky over the reserve is one of the darkest yet measured.
Regular visiting astronomer at Sossusvlei Desert Lodge, George Tucker, who also helped with NamibRand’s application for IDSR status, summed it up succinctly: “I believe that by drawing attention to the importance of preserving the dark skies of Africa we have accomplished something of significance for the NamibRand Nature Reserve, for Namibia, and for the world at large.”
Nils Odendaal, Chief Executive Officer of the NamibRand Nature Reserve, described the importance of receiving the IDSR designation. “The conservation of the night sky and the mitigation of light pollution is an area of conservation in Namibia that, to date, has unfortunately not received much attention. We hope to use our influence as a leader in tourism and conservation – not only in our area, but also on a national level – to change this and raise the awareness of this important environmental concern. We hope that the IDSA designation will generate international support, publicity and targeted research, both for NamibRand and for Namibia as a whole, further reinforcing the country’s leadership role in environmental issues.”
The IDSA established the International Dark Sky Places conservation programme in 2001 to recognise excellent stewardship of the night sky. Designations are based on stringent outdoor lighting standards and innovative community outreach. Since the programme was initiated, four communities and ten parks have received International Dark Sky Reserve designations.
www.namibrand.org
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 Namibia’s annual Chef of the Year Competition kicks off (24.05.2012)
The annual Chef of the Year Competition – organised by the Namibian Chefs Association (NCA) – aims to showcase high quality Namibian culinary skills, Namibian products, and the talents of professional chefs from Windhoek and around Namibia. This year the event will be held from 18 to 21 June.
“The objective of the Chef of the Year Competition is to encourage local young professionals to compete in a hands-on outside catering situation and gain from the experience,” explains Tom Mutavdzic, President of the NCA. Participants can take part in one of three categories: Inter-schools, Junior Chef, and Senior Chef. With a set of required ingredients for each dish, points will be awarded for taste, skills demonstrated, own interpretation, and creativity. Winning chefs will receive a certificate of participation, a trophy and a variety of other prizes. The first prize winners for the Junior and Senior Chef Competition will be offered the opportunity to participate in the Global Chefs Challenge in 2013.
As usual, the judges will be some of the most highly qualified chefs in Southern Africa, this year including Arnold Tanzer, Richard Pearce of Totally Kosher catering in SA, and Director of South African Chefs Association Jeff Schueremans. The event will culminate with a gala dinner on 21 June, attracting guests from local businesses and companies.
On 22 June, just after the Chef of the Year Competition, judges Richard and Jeff will run a course for paid-up members of the NCA to become boerewors experts and judge the Checkers boerewors competition. Six of these will then go on to become judges at the first cook-off in July and at the Hart van Windhoek competition in September.
“Last year over 50 participants competed for the first place in the competition and we hope to exceed that number this year. This event will offer an opportunity to anyone who is interested in becoming a taster at the competition to sample the dishes prepared for the competition.” If you are interested to be part of the tasting panel, send a mail to namchefs@iway.na.
www.namibianchefs.com
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 Monte Bello Guesthouse Special omelettes and genuine smiles (23.05.2012)
Run by a quartet of females with friendly smiles, Monte Bello Guesthouse automatically reflects that soft, homely touch you’d expect from your ‘home away from home’. With freshly ground coffee beans waiting to be brewed, speciality cheeses and cold meats, and an array of brötchens, scones and breads to go with Monte Bello’s ‘special omelette’, you’ll feel like the queen bee. Kings are also welcome, of course, and with owner Mario de Oliveira popping in daily, you’ll get your required dose of masculinity too.
“The idea I had when I started renovating and restructuring this old house, was to create a simple, modern guesthouse that won’t be too high-maintenance, or have too much of a bushy garden.” Of the original garden, only the old pepper tree remains, high up in a corner, complete with birds’ nests and tables and chairs for an outside breakfast or garden tea.
Opened in December 2010, the guesthouse has nine rooms, of which two are suites, with king-size beds big enough for a whole family. The Garden Suite even allows for private morning meditation. Each room has a tea-and-coffee station, a minibar stocked on request, air-conditioning, wireless Internet, and satellite television. A working station allows for after-hour business round-ups. Decorated in shades of red, brown, burgundy and cream, the house oozes a warm, inviting atmosphere, complemented by the multi-talented team that keeps business running smoothly. “Your personal likes are taken care of here.”
The swimming pool is another lazy man’s favourite, good for lounging around, getting rid of jetlag, and dozing off under the African sun. With a great mix between corporate clients, South Africans and Europeans, Mario fondly recalls how a certain visitor has been returning to stay in the same room since the early days. This specific room is hidden in a corner that exits into the garden, allowing guests the opportunity to spend private time outside. Another guest was so fond of his room and the service that came with it that he stayed for nineteen days!
Monte Bello Guesthouse is completely wheelchair-friendly. Contemporary, elegant and clean cut, the guesthouse was designed by local architect, Pieter Mostert, while Karin la Cock offered her expert advice on garden layout and design. Monte Bello is located at 30 Akwamaryn Street in Eros, Windhoek. (Marita van Rooyen)
www.montebellogh.com
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 Haven Zoological Park: For bunny hugs and more (15.05.2012)
Fluffy bunnies, naughty monkeys, noisy geese, lazy guinea pigs, hibernating tortoises, and curious meerkats form part of the animal family at Haven Zoological Park. Here there’s always some animal being bottle-fed, and owners Julie and Martin Wiese are always on site to assist with feeding, nurturing, and welcoming animal friends.
Situated in the Kleine Kuppe suburb of Windhoek, this animal farm stretches over four hectares of land and allows plenty of space for young ones to release their energy. Says Julie, “We realised that there weren’t enough places in Windhoek that cater specifically for children and decided to fill the gap.” These days, children of all ages come by in their busloads to see, touch, and feed the selection of wild and wonderful animals on site. Bushy, the ground squirrel, is an all-time favourite, parading around his enclosure as if he were the king of the zoo. “Everyone loves Bushy,” smiles Julie. And the monkeys, of course. But a monkey is curious and naughty, so don’t stand too close or show off your new pair of sunglasses; you might just have to donate them to the zoo.
The zoo initially started out as a safe haven for abandoned domestic animals, but over the years it grew into a general safe place for any orphaned or neglected animal. “Our main aim with the zoo is to educate children about taking care of animals, and teach them not to take them out of their natural habitat.” When entering, the children are given a bucket of greens to feed the hungry residents and are allowed to mingle with the bunnies in their enclosure. “All the kids who come here want to sit with the bunnies. It seems to be the most popular thing to do.”
For the rest of the animal family, petting is only possible through the fence, or over the wall. Other animals include a three-legged sheep and his more fortunate cousins, warthogs, eland, cows, goats, a pot-bellied pig, ostriches, an emu, horses, a naughty pony, a mule, springbok, wildebeest, parrots, budgies, peacocks and guinea fowls.
If the animal spirits run dry, there are always the latest additions to the park: a put-put course and carousel that are especially popular over weekends. The play area and café cater further for visitors’ needs, while Hella Smit offers magic sand-art activities on the grass lawn over weekends. Bring your friends and hug a bunny at the Haven Zoological Park! (Marita van Rooyen)
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 Spend time with the family (14.05.2012)
Many accommodation facilities claim to offer a home away from home, a place where you’ll fit in with the furniture, and to be the perfect place to share glasses of wine with your hosts into the early-morning hours. And yes, many of them do have a certain feeling of comfort, but none of these come close to the one experienced with Curt Sagell and Silke Kauert of Caprivi Houseboat Safaris.
Silke explains that she wanted to create an atmosphere where guests felt they were visiting friends or relatives. And with dinners shared around a long table on the deck overlooking the Zambezi, pre-drinks around the fire, and a collective afternoon of fishing fun accompanied by loud laughter, cold refreshments and tales of local life, it is easy to understand why.
Says Silke, “I’ll go out of my way to get my guests to smile. I don’t like to look at surly faces,” she says with a wink. “Curt likes to sit on the boat and pull in some big ones with the guys, while I chat with the ladies for hours on end.” Their daughter Kiara even says a personal goodnight to guests before she retires with her little pink pony.
Food is home-cooked either by Silke, or by the resident chef. Vegetables are bought from lodge worker Ivan Simata’s father’s garden, while herbs grown in mokoro gardens further provide flavour. The communal cooking area at the camping terrain also boasts large pots of parsley, rosemary and oregano, and you’ll even have a limited access to blackberries – when in season, of course!
Another special feature is the combination of rustic reed chalets, open-air showers and the union with nature. As André Louw wrote in the guestbook, “It’s much better to live in harmony with nature than to try and change it.”
Pathways through the lush, green garden lead to the rooms, separated by monster-size trees and plants. With birds chirping from sunrise, tigerfish playing in the river, squirrels hopping around trees, and geckos baking in the sun, nature is always near. Chalets are constructed with reeds from the area and the river-facing ‘walls’ can roll up to let the sunshine and fresh air in. Watch the sun paint the sky pink over neighbouring Zambia, or dream with the reflections of the water on the reeds. A large Woodland Waterberry casts shade over the deck, while magic guarri, jackalberry and silver terminalia trees further add to privacy and greenery.
Overnight safaris on one of two safari boats are a popular choice amongst fishermen or families looking for a break from the land. The boats go down the Zambezi and/or Chobe rivers and allow spectacular views of some of the 450 bird species, many of which are endemic to the area, not to mention close-up sightings of wildlife.
“We gather on secluded sandbanks for evening bonfires and picnics, before guests head for the comfort of their roof-tents on the boat, gently rocking to sleep to the sounds of an African night.”
Safari cruises are flexible and can be booked on a self-catering or assisted self-catering basis. Other activities include angling expeditions, and day or sunset boat cruises.
The family recently took ownership of the establishment and have made several improvements in the eight months they’ve been behind the wheel. Since they specialise in safari-boat expeditions, installing new engines in the boats was the first priority on the list. Next came new mattresses, bedding and mosquito nets for the five bedroom units, and a revamp of the campsites. Future plans include an extension of the deck, roll-up canvas walls for the chalets, a new thatched roof for the main building, and the inclusion of guide rooms, amongst others.
Silke has been active in the tourism sector for many years, with managerial positions at Lianshulu lodges and the Rooisand Desert Ranch. She also worked as a ranger at Sossusvlei Mountain Lodge and as a travel consultant for African Travel Concept offices in Windhoek and Swakopmund, while Curt formerly worked as an accountant.
Caprivi Houseboat Safari Lodge is situated in Hippo Road, about eight kilometres east of Katima Mulilo. (Marita van Rooyen)
www.caprivihouseboatsafaris.com
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 NTB launches Conservation Destination Campaign – and a chance for two lucky Namibians to win a trip around Namibia (23.04.2012)
On 22 April this year – Earth Day – the Namibia Tourism Board (NTB) launched Conservation Destination, an online marketing campaign designed to showcase the remarkable conservation stories taking place all around the Land of the Brave and to inspire Namibians to become a part of the story. Conservation Destination uses Facebook applications and the blog on the NTB’s award-winning website to engage communities of travellers who are passionate about wildlife and conservation. During the campaign, the NTB invites online users to use Facebook and Twitter to interact with four conservation ambassadors: Dara the Damara Tern, Chase the Cheetah, Roger the Rhino, and Holden the Golden Mole.
To bring these characters to life, the NTB has worked with four conservation organisations, namely the Namibian Coast Conservation and Management (NACOMA) project, the Cheetah Conservation Fund, the Save the Rhino Trust and the Namib Desert Environmental Education Trust (NaDEET). Throughout the campaign, the ambassadors will be tweeting and posting about real life threats facing their survival and also spreading the word about the amazing conservation success stories taking place in Namibia.
“We are extremely excited about promoting environmental education and NaDEET through Holden, our Golden Mole," said Viktoria Keding, Director of the Namib Desert Environment Education Trust (NaDEET). “We believe the campaign is a great and engaging way to communicate the wonders and challenges facing conservation and the environment in Namibia.”
As part of the campaign, the NTB is offering an exciting lucky draw to all residents of Namibia. For your chance to win an 8-day trip for two around Namibia, including the opportunity to spend time with this country’s leading conservationists, connect with the Namibia Endless Horizons on Facebook and click on the “Lucky Draw” tab to enter the draw. It is also possible to enter through the blog page on the NTB’s website.
“We hope to engage Namibians of all ages with this campaign – and alert them to the work being done in their own country – and then give them a chance to visit it themselves!” said Maggy Mbako, the PRO of NTB. “Our team decided that Facebook was the best medium to do this, since over 150 000 Namibians are already using Facebook.”
In addition, the NTB has created a Facebook app called Namibia that can be syndicated to any tour operator or interested tourism stakeholder. By placing the Namibia app on a third party Facebook page, community managers give their community a chance to win the trip and help spread the message of conservation to the world.
The campaign runs until 1 June. The lucky winner of the draw will be announced on 8 June at the Namibia Tourism Expo in Windhoek.
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 Sponsor a child’s education (18.04.2012)
Education is the key to the future and in many rural areas children have little or no opportunity to prepare themselves for formal education. For this reason, Valerie Peypers of N’kwazi Lodge opened up the Mayana Pre-primary School in 2008, with the help of Mbudi Zongwa ministries in Rundu. Here, children between 4 and 6 are taught according to the Accelerated Christian Education curriculum. The feedback from primary schools that receive these graduates has been very positive. There are currently 43 children at the school, some of which are sponsored through generous tourists donations, as parents often cannot afford to pay for a child’s education. The pre-school is financed through donations, which includes the costs of materials, buildings, food and the teachers’ salaries. Some kids are also selected for further funding towards their studies. There are currently five Mayana students in tertiary institutions throughout the world, including Russia and Ukraine. (Marita van Rooyen)
www.nkwazilodge.com
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Support the ‘likorerera’ group (18.04.2012)
In 2008 a sewing group was born with the help of Valerie Peypers of N’kwazi Lodge. It brings women of all ages together on a regular basis to learn needlework techniques and produce placemats and doilies that are for sale at the lodge. The group named themselves ‘likorerera’ (which means you must stand on your own feet) and their work enables them to become more independent from the men in their struggle to take care of their families and send their kids to school.
www.nkwazilodge.com
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NTB at the Tourism Exchange Programme (11.04.2012)
“As a national tourism board, we are taking the opportunity to make our own contribution to developing successful enterprises with the BEE SMME Development Programme geared towards disadvantage entrepreneurs in Namibia. As part of this program our vision is to create an environment in which tourism entrepreneurs are nurtured and supported.” Digu //Naobeb, NTB CEO.
The Namibia Tourism Board (NTB) is currently participating in the five-day Tourism Exchange Programme, taking place in Johannesburg, South Africa from 10 – 14 April 2012. The Tourism Exchange week is arranged by the South African BEE Enterprises Forum (SABEF), and is an exchange program between tourism operators from Namibia and South Africa. The aim of the event is to network, exchange ideas, benchmark and attend various coaching clinics in the areas of networking and relationship building, creation and marketing tourism products.
The delegation of ten Namibian operators from direct and indirect tourism businesses is led by the NTB CEO, Mr. Digu //Naobeb. The delegates are participating alongside ten South African tourism operators for the duration of seven days, to learn from each other through exchanging ideas, benchmarking their products and building networks for collaboration and co-operation to foster cross border and regional tourism.
SABEF is aimed to develop and support SMMEs to create jobs through mentorship training programs, financial software, access, and business networking through interactive sessions.
“I am very happy that this event is brought to South Africa for the first time and she is sincerely sure that South Africa will take it to the greater heights,” said Honourable Tokozile Xasa, the South African Deputy Minister of Tourism, at the official opening that took place at the Soweto Hotel and Conference Centre on Tuesday. She reiterated the fact that the event is taking place at the place and venue where it matters in terms broad base participation upliftment in the tourism sector.
“The Department of Tourism secured funds from the treasury to market the entire continent of Africa and the outcome of this platform will be incorporated to benefit from this fund,” said Xasa.
“We are thankful to the Namibia Tourism Board for having agreed to partner with us in this initiative, of the relationship that started back in 2009, when SABEF was invited to give motivation speeches in Namibia during the launch of their first BEE Mini-Road show and that we hope that our initiative will boost both South Africa and Namibian SMEEs in the tourism sector,” said Mfundo Piti, CEO of SABEF.
This will be a continuous program that is expected to expand, and include participants from other SADC member states. The program will end on Saturday, with a price giving award ceremony that will take place at Sakhumzi Restaurant in Soweto.
Pictured from left to right: Maggy Mbako, PRO of NTB; Digu //Naobeb, CEO of NTB; Honourable Tokozile Xasa, South African Deputy Minister of Tourism; Lindiwe Sangweni-Sido, owner of Soweto Hotel and Conferencing; and Mfundo Piti, CEO of SABEF.
www.namibiatourism.com.na
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 Namibia short-listed to host the 2013 Adventure Travel World Summit (04.04.2012)
“The time is right to bring this summit to Namibia where we can showcase Africa and adventure travel at its very best.”
Minister of Environment and Tourism, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah
Namibia is being shortlisted as one of three potential destinations to host the Adventure Travel World Summit (ATWS) in 2013, an international gathering of over 600 influential players in the adventure travel industry. If Namibia’s bid is successful, it will be the first time this event is held on African soil.
“The hard work has just begun! We are now entering phase three: For phase one we went to Chiapas and did well, in phase two we prepared the bid and also did well; next up is phase three, where we’ll have two visits from ATTA (Adventure Tour Trade Association) leadership. Firstly we’ll have site visits post-Indaba and secondly we’ll host the ATTA presidents at the Tourism Expo in June. In addition, we must start planning for the Switzerland dinner, which we are hosting on the last night of ATWS 2012. It is time for the nation to rally behind this cause, to come together and to see Namibia through to not only one of three, but one of one!” said Sem Shikongo, Director of Tourism for the Ministry of Environment and Tourism.
Namibia stands a good chance to win, as a safe and secure adventure destination with excellent infrastructure, efficient telecommunications, rich cultural heritage and an award-winning, community-based, natural-resource-management programme that uniquely combines tourism, conservation and community development.
Before launching the bidding process, the Honourable Minister of Environment and Tourism stressed: “To be successful in our bid, we must be fully inclusive in our bidding process and commitment to bring this important event to Namibia. Our Government stands behind you and we now need you, our partners in the business community, to take your place in this exciting initiative. Together, we can bring this ATWS to Namibia in 2013, and create a positive wave of change in the tourism industry that will last a lifetime.”
Accordingly, many public and private partners have already committed their support. A significant number of operators have also committed to pre- and post-familiarisation trips with ATTA operators.
This Summit has great marketing value, as it attracts the Presidents, CEOs, MDs and GMs of the global tourism industry. There will also be a significant presence of international travel and tourism media representatives. This will result in excellent coverage of Namibia. The value of this in real marketing efforts is huge.
The bid initiative was officially instigated in October 2011, when Minister Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah led a delegation to San Cristóbal de las Casas in Chiapas, Mexico, which included private-sector and state-owned enterprise representation. If Namibia is chosen as the host, it will bring numerous immediate, short-term and long-term benefits to the country. The other two countries that have made it to the top three have not been made public.
pro@namibiatourism.com.na
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 Windhoek museum project picks up steam (03.04.2012)
The City of Windhoek’s museum project is picking up momentum following a reunion of former old-location residents, including founding president Sam Nujoma, on Saturday.
Held at the Roman Catholic Mission church in Pioneers Park, dozens of former old-location residents, many of whom were children when the forced removals were conducted in the 1960s, came together to remember their childhood home.
For the City of Windhoek the aim of the gathering was to help create a fuller picture of the past with the help of those who still remember it.
The old location was a thriving neighbourhood until, in the late 1950s, the powers of the day forcefully relocated the residents to what is now known as Katutura. The decision was met with protests from the residents, and bloody confrontations preceded the eventual removal of the people. But for many of those who met on Saturday, the memories of the past are not focused exclusively on the tragedy that ensued at the end of those times. Rather, many remember the strong bonds of the community and the values that were at the heart of their lives.
The reunion served as a platform for former residents, scholars and other interested parties to share their history, donate artifacts and items of historical value. Moreover, there are hundreds of photographs from that period featuring people whose identity is unknown. On Saturday, a booklet with photographs and spaces to write in names were handed out, in an attempt to identify the individuals, places and times represented on the photographs. The information collected will then be transferred to the City Museum, which will serve as a ‘one-stop shop for locals and visitors who wish to learn more about the history of the City of Windhoek’.
Windhoek Mayor Elaine Trepper said at the reunion: “What we can learn from history and how we can translate what happened then to the present and the future, serves as a rich inheritance for the generations of tomorrow.”
The City Museum project is aimed at preserving and promoting the history of Windhoek. It will host six galleries, featuring the Old Location, audio visuals of pre-colonial and colonial Windhoek, temporary exhibitions, Windhoek Today and Windhoek bio-diversity.
Aside from several speakers covering topics on education, the life and times and political events, performances from the iconic Old Location Jazz Band and the viewing of an old location film, were also offered.
Several photographs from the era were on display, providing a moving portrait of a time and place remembered fondly by many who were there.
The day culminated in a dance-off between former residents, who displayed dancing styles such as rock and roll, twist, and jazz. The Old Location was famed for its popular dancing events and the music that went with them.
Nujoma concluded the talks by commenting that remembering the past was vital, as it helped “…to shape a common future.”
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 One tourist destination, five countries – the launch of KAZA TFCA (20.03.2012)
The world’s largest transfrontier conservation area was launched in Katima Mulilo last week, when Namibia, Angola, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Botswana put the final stamp of approval on the Kavango Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA TFCA).
The area of 444 000 square kilometres – viewed by many as a tourism diamond in the rough – is a biodiversity hotspot and home to almost 50 per cent of Africa’s elephants. Eight hundred bird species have been recorded in the KAZA region, which encompasses at least 26 protected wildlife areas, including national parks, game reserves, forest reserves and communal areas. KAZA extends over the Okavango and Zambezi river basins. It is a bio-diversity hotspot and home to thousands of communities whose livelihood depends on the natural surroundings.
The Caprivi Region, which forms the nucleus of KAZA, links the five countries involved. It is famed for its natural beauty, wildlife, river systems and traditional heritage. Several national parks have sprung up in the narrow strip situated in the far north-eastern corner of Namibia. The TFCA acts as a blueprint for the successful implementation of community-based conservation projects, and is a unique example of the reintroduction of wildlife such as giraffe, which had vanished from the surroundings in the past decades.
For the five partner countries, tourism is the key ingredient of the area, and is seen as a socioeconomic development tool due to its ‘strong multiplier effects’.
While tourism already plays a pivotal role in the Namibian, Zimbabwean and Botswana components of KAZA, the TFCA is seen as the tool that will open up the rest of the block to tourists. Untapped tourist hotspots in Angola and Zambia can now open their doors, backed by the experience and expertise of partner countries.
Tourism operators are enthusiastic about the prospect. According to Katy Sharpe, who owns Tutwa Tourism and Travel, a company based in Namibia’s Caprivi Region, KAZA presents a unique opportunity to promote the entire area as a ‘tourism package’.
“KAZA is a big marketing tool. It’s a good concept. People are benefiting, conservation is benefiting, and so is wildlife.”
The initial focus in KAZA is to reopen historic wildlife areas and corridors that were artificially divided by man-made borders in the previous century. This led to wildlife migration routes being cut off, not only through boundaries but also because of conflict in some areas.
The vision with KAZA is to reopen migration routes and attract tourists to scenically beautiful areas that have thus far failed to attract visitors. Namibian Minister of Environment and Tourism Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah said at the KAZA launch that the transfrontier area was “…blessed with an abundance of unique plants and animals, wetland areas, beautiful landscapes and people with diverse cultures.” Conservation and tourism activities combined would create a ‘win-win’ situation that would ultimately “…carry significant economic rewards for the local community and our respective countries at large.”
She said that the sustainable use of wildlife through tourism, trophy hunting and other forms of wildlife usage was a well-entrenched rural development strategy in the KAZA TFCA, and that this concept would continue to set the baseline for future management of the area.
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 Sun Karros Lifestyle Safaris Camping and Outdoor Expo (19.03.2012)
On the last Friday and Saturday of this month (30–31 March), Sun Karros Lifestyle Safari Lodge will officially launch its newly revamped lodge and campsites in the Daan Viljoen Game Park. With the theme Camping in Style, numerous local exhibitors have been invited to display their products at Namibia’s first Camping and Outdoor Expo, which include camping equipment, 4x4 vehicles, off-road trailers, mountain bikes, 4x4 rental vehicles and equipment, off-road motor cycles and wines. Further activities include a beer tent selling typical camp-style food; hiking trails; test drives for 4x4 vehicles; meals at the Kraal Restaurant; and sneak peeks at the revamped chalets and other facilities.
“The Campsite Expo and official opening offers us the opportunity to show off the best-kept secret in Namibia. The facility has been under construction since 2008. This is not the final product, but we endeavour to be finished with the complete project by 2013/14,” said Johann Grove, Operations Manager for Sun Karros. (Marita van Rooyen)
www.sunkarros.com.na
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 Namibia represented at the Global Natural Fibre Forum (16.03.2012)
From 6 to 10 March the African Chapter of the Global Natural Fibre Forum (GNFF) was held in Port Elizabeth, South Africa.
As one of three Namibians to represent our country, Clio Pauly-Kurz of Sundaze Investments was chosen as the Namibian Ambassador of Natural Fibres. The other representatives were Veronika Nunuhes of Kalahari Wild Silk, and Samuel Aochamub of the National Youth Council.
“If natural fibre producers wish to prove themselves on the mainstream market and be responsible for a wide range of products, from automotives and aviation, to food and the military, then credible research and testing are a must. Namibia’s Wild Kalahari Silk, for example, proved to be a popular product, yet it was noted that with more advanced equipment, even better textiles could be produced.”
Over five days, representatives from 19 countries collaborated on how to best utilise natural fibres, a local resource that could become a significant livelihood asset. Countries that also showed an interest in expanding the use of natural fibres were South Africa, Mozambique, Cameroon, Uganda, Sierra Leone, Seychelles, Mauritius, Tanzania, Botswana, Lesotho, Swaziland, Kenya, Rwanda, Nigeria, Ghana, Zambia, Malawi, Gambia, the UK, India and New Zealand.
It is hoped that within the next 25 to 30 years, in view of the reduced production of petroleum, the importance of natural fibres will increase. “A global body representing the interests of small producers training artisans along with primary processers is therefore needed at present.” At the forum it was resolved to set up a Global Natural Fibres Forum aimed at popularising, promoting and creating awareness of natural fibres as a healthy, responsible, sustainable, high-tech and fashionable choice. However, the point of view of growers and primary processors is also significant. Furthermore, the interests of secondary processors and producer organisations engaged in value addition should also be represented. It was decided that Namibia would focus mainly on Government, advocacy, networking and partnerships. The formation and platform for a Namibian Natural Fibre Forum also needs to be established.”
As the Ambassador of Natural Fibres of Namibia, Clio is in charge of realising these goals, but will only succeed with the support and consciousness of the rest of the country. Namibia has a wide range of natural fibres, including leather, wool, silk, bamboo, sorghum, maize, !nara, hoodia, cotton, and Devil’s Claw, and holds great potential to grow hemp, which is currently imported to Africa from China and Europe.
The idea of GNFF was born at a Pan-Commonwealth Natural Fibre Skills Development Programme held in Bangalore, India, in June 2009, from the need of Commonwealth Developing Countries to be assisted in developing natural-fibre industries. Sustainable production and consumption is crucial to building an environmental prudence and leaving a lighter carbon footprint on our planet. The objective is for the GNFF to become a knowledge platform for the use of natural fibres across the globe, and to facilitate the building of a better ecosystem for the production, processing and use of natural fibres. Tanzania was chosen as the regulating country to ensure that networking functions continuously. (Marita van Rooyen)
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 Raising climate change awareness through football (15.03.2012)
A strategic partnership between First National Bank (FNB) Namibia and Global United Football Club takes the message of climate change and global warming to a different level.
Targeting the youth, these two organisations strive to create environmental awareness through fun and action-orientated activities such as soccer matches. International and local soccer legends are taking part in the campaign, with matches between local schools, professional Namibian players and invited international soccer celebrities. Lutz Pfannenstiel, Global United founder, explained, “We want to branch out from football and show that environmental awareness is key to our players.”
Dixon Norval, FNB’s Head of Strategic Marketing and Communications added to this by saying, “It is all about climate change and what we are doing about it. Instead of having a once-off project, we took it further and made it into a continuous effort by creating a hype around the players and their visit to Namibia.” Adding to the initiative, ten schools around Windhoek’s Sam Nujoma Stadium will receive recycling tips and information by Wolfgang Schenk and the Recycle Namibia Forum.
On Wednesday the respective parties got together at the Rent-a-drum facilities just outside of Windhoek, where soccer players where taken through a tour of the facilities by Operations Manager, Abraham Reinhardt. Rent-a-drum is the only recycling plant in Namibia and sorts 17 different types of recyclables at their facilities before sending it off to South Africa. The company employs 130 previously disadvantaged Namibians, of which 80% are women.
The campaign will culminate with a soccer match at the Sam Nujoma Stadium on Saturday 17 March. Famous musicians The Dogg and Gaza will keep the entertainment levels high, while the matches promise to get the blood pumping. Show solidarity towards the cause of climate change and fill the stadium on Saturday! (Marita van Rooyen).
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Air Namibia launches new routes (15.03.2012)
Yet another milestone in the history of Namibia’s national carrier, Air Namibia today introduced three new direct flights to their route network. “The launch of these routes is a sign that we at Air Namibia are serious about expanding our regional routes and so create a new and better Africa with unrestricted air access. We are confident that our endeavours will be a success,” said Acting Managing Director, Theo Namases.
Three new routes were introduced: to Harare in Zimbabwe, Gaborone in Botswana, and Ondjiva in Angola. The overriding objective of this launch and as part of Air Namibia’s new business plan, launched in 2011, is to equip the airline to become a sustainable business in the long run. The new routes hold the possibility of opening up cultural exchange programmes and foster integration between countries in southern Africa. It further promises increased relationships and economic cooperation between Namibia and Angola, promotes trade and investment between Namibia and Botswana, and increases capacity and choice through attracting new trade, tourism and investment routes in Zimbabwe, amongst others. Said the High Commissioner of Botswana, Norman Moleboge, “Southern Africa has all the world needs for development, but we’re still at the tail end because we don’t intertrade.” This, however, is about to change.
Air Namibia’s new routes are enhanced with the introduction of their new fleet, which will arrive throughout the course of the year. Frequent flyers can now look forward to stepping onto one of four brand new Embraer 135 Regional Jets, four Airbus A319-100, and two Airbus A330-200 aircrafts.
“We strive to make Windhoek the new regional hub in addition to Johannesburg,” ended Theo. The new routes are effective from 15 May 2012. (Marita van Rooyen).
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 Namibian scientist sharpens conservation tools (13.03.2012)
Namibian Gladys Kahaka is placing Namibia on the global plant-science map with her passion for preserving Namibia’s rich biological resources.
This year Dr Kahaka, a bio-technologist qualified at the University of Namibia (UNAM), received an international nod of recognition for her work when the UNESCO L’Oreal For Women in Science (FWIS) International Fellowship awarded Kahaka a grant to further her studies in the United Kingdom. She plans to embark on fine-tuning her DNA analysis skills to fully understand her home country’s flora and fauna, and the critical and beneficial role biodiversity resources play. Most of all, she hopes to use her skills to conserve Namibia’s biodiversity heritage and unleash their benefits to the community at large.
Kahaka is one of only three African candidates the FWIS has decided to support to further their studies.
For a young woman who hails from Gam in the Tsumkwe area, she has come far. She will officially receive her accolade during a glittering award ceremony to be held in Paris, France at the end of March. Part of her award includes U$40 000, which will allow her to pump much-needed funds into her research.
Kahaka says she started her career when she elected to study biology and chemistry at UNAM. Her interests came to rest at the precise point where these two subjects meet.
The Namibian Government recognised her talents and passion, and awarded her the fellowship to do her MSc and PhD in plant sciences. “My interest is not just in plants, but in their molecular (genetic) aspect in general,” she explains. “The idea of discovering new things fascinates me.”
This keeps her hooked to her chosen career path. She says her interest includes studying different plants in Namibia, in an attempt to unlock the answers to their nutritional and medicinal properties. Moreover, she is keen to share her discoveries so as to emphasise the importance of their sustainable use as a way of preventing plant species from becoming extinct. “Through molecular genetics we can begin to understand the interactions between plant species and their environment.”
Kahaka’s role model and mentor is Dr Martha Kandaw-Schulz, who nominated Kahaka for the FWIS scholarship. Kahaka says that while she will be based mainly at the University of Nottingham in the UK, her research is tailored in such a way that she will be travelling back and forth between her home country and England. “The world is full of challenges, especially for women in science. …however, there are opportunities out there that we need to take up without fear… Science is not easy, but if you have the patience, commitment and love for it, you’ll make it,” she believes.
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Southern pan sparkles pink and white (13.03.2012)
Like clockwork the usually rock-hard, arid Sandhof Pan in southern Namibia was transformed into a vibrant field of green, white and soft pink two weeks ago.
Most who visit the south expect to see its renowned wide-open spaces, sparsely populated with trees, grass and flowers. But every now and then, when there is sufficient rain, a natural wonder unfolds on the dry 700-hectare pan situated on Farm Sandhof, north-east of Maltahöhe.
To give life to the earth-lodged bulbs, which have remained dormant since their last blossoming – whether a year ago, or, in times of drought, for a longer period – the explosion of lilies can take place only after rain has fallen on the pan to a depth of at least 15 millimetres.
At the beginning of March, 70 millimetres of rain saw to it that the pan had sufficient water, and within days the green stems had pushed through the drenched earth and the pink and white blossoms opened. The blooms are there for a maximum of three days, after which they wilt, and the explosion of colour disappears as suddenly as it arrived.
The scientific name of the lily, Crinum paludosum – a species of lily endemic to Namibia, Botswana and South Africa – conceals the fact that these lilies present one of the most spectacular sights to behold in the vast, desert-like landscape of southern Namibia. Their rarity and brief existence add to the allure.
Those in the know say there are two prerequisites for the white to pale pink flowers to bloom: the depth of the water (15 millimetres at least) and direct rainfall. Even if it rains close to the vlei, and water trickles in, the lilies remain dormant.
Attracted by the annual flowering of thousands of lilies, another natural wonder descends on the pan. The elephant beetle appears only when the lilies are in bloom. In dry years, when rainfall is low or absent, the beetle remains hidden. (Jana-Mari Smith)
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 N/a’an ku sê’s Wild Animal Orphans screens on Animal Planet (09.03.2012)
Wild Animal Orphans, a new series on DSTV channel Animal Planet, showcases the day-to-day life of Namibian conservationists, founders and directors of the N/a'an ku sê Wildlife Sanctuary, Marlice and Rudie van Vuuren, and the work of their foundation.
Premiering from 6 March 2012 on Animal Planet, the 13 episodes of Wild Animal Orphans will be shown across the whole of Africa, and countries across Europe and the Middle East, including Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Hungry, Iceland, Netherlands, Norway, Russia, Sweden and Turkey.
Wild Animal Orphans provides a real-life example of conservation and volunteering on a wildlife sanctuary such as N/a'an ku sê. Highlights include the safe release of cheetah and leopard at two release sites in Namibia, Solitaire and Sandfontein. This specific episode covers the safe transport of carnivores, the process of fitting them with tracking collars, and ensuring their safe release back into the wild. Another episode includes Marlice and Rudie's daily life on the farm and how they introduce their sons Zacheo and Nicklai to a life of conservation.
Unfortunately life in conservation is not always easy, as viewers see when poachers are found on the farm. In another rather sad scene the van Vuurens and a group of volunteers are called to a farm to collect a cheetah caught in a trap, but upon arrival it becomes clear that the call has come too late and the cheetah has died from dehydration. Scenes such as this emphasise the importance of conservation and just how difficult being a leading conservationist can be.
Marlice and Rudie van Vuuren started the N/a’an ku sê Foundation in 2007 with the two aims to protect and conserve Namibia’s vulnerable wildlife and to improve the lives of the marginalised San Bushman community.
Animal planet is one of the worlds leading animal TV channels featuring animal, conservation, biology and pet-related programmes.
www.naankuse.com
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 Meeting to promote woman entrepreneurs in Africa (09.03.2012)
Namibia recently played host to the Third Meeting to promote women entrepreneurs in Africa at the Safari Hotel in Windhoek. Organised by the Fundación Banesto (Banesto Foundation) for Sustainable and Responsible Tourism in Africa, the sole objective with the meeting was to enhance the experience and knowledge of women entrepreneurs, and to provide information to assist them in implementation and development.
María del Carmen Diez Orejas, the Spanish ambassador to Namibia, explained, “Gender equality is a common goal for all of us, but we need to join hands to maximise the socioeconomic benefits and reduce negativity towards women in the workplace.” The General Director of the Banesto Foundation, Francesc Fajula de Quintana, introduced his company, a Spanish NGO that focuses solely on the promotion of entrepreneurs in Africa, and supports equal opportunities and gender equality.
Anne Thandeka Gebhardt, the President of the Namibia Women’s Summit, opened the two-day conference with the message that gender equality promotes development. “Female development is underutilised and underdeveloped worldwide. Women, if you don’t speak up for yourselves, no one will take care of you.”
She stressed the three pillars of sustainable development, these being environmental protection, economic well-being and social equity. Capitolina Diaz, professor at the University of Oviedo in Spain, added a political leg to the pillars, stressing that these pillars all work together to create a sustainable tourism industry. She focused her presentation on the role of women in tourism and sustainable development, and quoted former UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, to support her views. “There is no development strategy more beneficial to society – women and men alike – than the one which involves women as central players.”
Other speakers at the event were Veronica de Klerk, Executive Director of Women’s Action for Development, who suggested solutions in the form of expanded tertiary institutions, reintroducing vocational training at a secondary school level, and more practical training in educational establishments; and Elizabeth /Khaxas, the Director of the Women’s Leadership Centre, who summed up her poetic presentation with the words, “Let women’s economic empowerment become the banner for the liberation of humanity.”
Case studies were given by Penduka, the Namibian Association of CBNRM Support Organisations, Open Africa, The Eco Topnaar Project, the Banesto Foundation, and the Association of Small Scale Enterprises in The Gambia. Some women entrepreneurs also outlined challenges and came up with suggestions, including Jaqueline Asheeke, the Director of African Elegance, Karin le Roux of the Omba Arts Trust, and Puye Haufiku of the Emerging Tourism Enterprises Association.
The conference was concluded with the following tips and suggestions for female entrepreneurs: develop a thick skin; take risks; know your market and products; be innovative; have your strategy in place; take time to think where you’re going; don’t be scared to fail; think about your location, pricing and branding; get your systems right; manage tourist fluctuation; find the right product for the right market; make sure your legal requirements are in place; search for support from key role players; find a gap in the market and go for it; and lastly, spend time and money on training and networking.
The conference coincided with International Women’s Day and the launch of Namibia’s National Gender Policy on 8 March 2012. (Marita van Rooyen)
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 N/a’an ku sê launches four new projects (06.03.2012)
At a prestigious event held last week at N/a’an ku sê headquarters in Windhoek, Namibian conservationists Rudie and Marlice van Vuuren launched four new projects under the N/a’an ku sê Foundation banner: N/a'an ku sê Lodge and Wildlife Sanctuary; Utopia Medi Spa and Boutique; Namib Carnivore Conservation Centre; and Neuras Wine and Wildlife Estate.
N/a'an ku sê Foundation was established in 2006 with two aims – to protect and conserve Namibia’s vulnerable wildlife and to improve the lives of the marginalised San Bushman community. “Since 2006 we have come a long way and are delighted to introduce you to our new initiatives,” said Marlice.
“We endeavour to be at the forefront of conservation and seek to give the general public access to conservation opportunities. The Foundation revealed an exciting new initiative in conservation and education: by the end of 2012 visitors will have the opportunity to track two white rhino on N/a’an ku sê’s 3 200 hectare reserve. “Our experienced guides and biologists will accompany guests on our reserve and teach you the techniques involved with tracking as you also learn about white rhino in their natural habitat.”
The Utopia Medi Spa and Boutique, located at 64 Nelson Mandela Avenue, Windhoek, was also launched at the occasion. The first and only medi spa in Namibia, this modern and up-market boutique establishment is set in a tranquil suburb in the heart of Windhoek. The Utopia Boutique consists of seven luxurious and spacious en-suite rooms, all with balconies overlooking the Klein Windhoek River. “At The Utopia Boutique and Medi Spa we have only one vision and that is for our guests to rest, rejuvenate and refresh.” The food is made from the freshest and healthiest ingredients and guests have access to the boardroom facilities, a fully equipped gym, swimming pool, and can even consult the resident biokineticists. Airport transfers can be arranged.
“Our third new initiative is the Namib Carnivore Conservation Centre. Working in partnership with Solitaire Guest Farm Desert Ranch, N/a’an ku sê hosts a carnivore research base in the heart of Namibia’s southern desert. The aim of this project is to solve human-wildlife conflicts in Namibia through sound scientific research on densities, home ranges and territories of cheetahs, leopards and hyena. We also seek to promote the rehabilitation and reintroduction of large carnivores. In addition to our important research project and carnivore releases we offer a unique educational cheetah-tracking safari for tourists.”
The Namib Carnivore Conservation Centre is situated 6 kilometres from Solitaire at the edge of the Namib Desert, in a paradise of open grass plains, speckled with camel thorn trees and other mature trees, rough mountain ranges with stunning mountain features and dry riverbeds. The accommodation is cosy with rustic dining and farmhouse style rooms along with a swimming pool for guests to enjoy at the end of a long hot day.
The N/a’an ku sê Foundation, a not-for profit organisation committed to the conservation of the wildlife and the people of Namibia, recently took ownership of Neuras, home to the world’s driest vineyard to become Neuras: N/a’an ku sê Wine and Wildlife Estate, where wine supports conservation.
“Protection of habitat for wildlife is the main mission behind acquiring the 14 000 hectares of desert, thereby extending the mission of N/a’an ku sê to promote co-existence of humans and wildlife.” The land is situated close to NamibRand and Neuhoff, both conservation areas that offer protection to large carnivores. N/a’an ku sê has already celebrated the release of a collared male leopard named Tyson, who is thriving in his new habitat, and last week a young caracal female.
The charity will follow in the footsteps of Allan and Sylvia Walkden-Davis, who owned and cultivated the land since 1997 when the first vines were planted. They have built a mythical wine brand and N/a’an ku sê founders, Rudie and Marlice, are proud to work with them to continue their legacy. “With Allan’s help we will most certainly keep on making the mythical Namib red wines, hoping to bring people to Neuras and to showcase our conservation efforts.”
The land, which is 80 kilometres from Sossusvlei, produces around 3000 bottles of Namib red wine a year, specialising in Shiraz and Merlot. As well as producing wine, Neuras: N/a’an ku sê Wine and Wildlife Estate will offer delicious food, rustic accommodation and unique activities for tourists, including tours of our winery, vineyard and cellar, wine tastings, carnivore tracking and birding tours. Visits to the 'Honey Canyon', home to the fourteenth longest cave in Namibia, can be arranged. Here, visitors can learn about how the ancient San lived and take excursions to the Tsauchab River, which rises in the Naukluft and Tsaris Mountains and flows through the Sesriem Canyon and beyond. Neuras: N/a’an ku sê Wine and Wildlife Estate will also form part of N/a’an ku sê’s Volunteer Programme which sees over 400 people from all over the world each year work with N/a’an ku sê research biologists.
This prestigious launch evening was rounded off with an exclusive showing of an episode of Wild Animal Orphans, a 13-episode TV programme featuring N/a'an ku sê and the work of Rudie and Marlice.
The N/a’an ku sê Foundation also comprises The N/a’an ku sê Lodge and Wildlife Sanctuary, located just 30 minutes from the airport and an hour from the city centre.
www.naankuse.com
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 Tourism Planning and Development Seminar 2012 (05.03.2012)
“The results of this workshop represent in-depth, frank talk from its participants and capture the status of where we are in the tourism industry today.” Sem Shikongo
From Monday to Wednesday (27–29 February) last week, the Directorate of Tourism (DoT) hosted a Tourism Planning and Development Seminar in the capital. For the first time in post-independence history, as part of a countrywide initiative, the DoT is organising workshops and visiting different regions to gather input from tourism stakeholders at grass-roots level. The seminar, which took off in October 2011, still has to be taken to the Kunene, Kavango, Caprivi and Otjozondupa regions before it can be discussed at national level. “We aim to draw up a Tourism Growth and Development Strategy that is simple, smart and implementable, and hope to have the final document ready before the National Development Plan 4 is finalised,” explained Sem, who is the Director of Tourism and also the co-ordinator of these workshops.
The objectives of these workshops are to raise questions, encourage dialogue and address the key elements of the National Tourism Growth Strategy. At this specific workshop, the focus was on the Khomas and Omaheke regions, which the DoT earmarked as the ‘heart of Namibian tourism’. The key elements discussed were attractions and experiences; marketing and promotion; awareness and information; destination management; creating a well-trained workforce; institution leadership and management; financial resources and investment; and institutional environment.
The draw cards of the Khomas and Omaheke regions are cultural heritage and traditions, of which there are many activities and options to choose from – the Omaheke Region alone is home to five of Namibia’s ethnic groups. But there are also challenges, and this is where the seminar served as a platform to raise concerns and share ideas. “We need a paradigm shift that focuses on respect for the environment, the importance of human relations, fostering the joy of creation, contact with nature, and getting in touch with the spiritual dimension of being.”
A concern that was raised on the first day of the seminar and that seemed to be an issue throughout, was the fact that Namibians do not seem interested in sharing or learning from others, and that they focus only on their own successes and challenges. Other topics discussed included the budget, the need for a service-oriented culture, an investor-friendly climate, market intervention, organisational re-engineering, visas and work permits, safety and security, and aviation and air access. Suggestions for some of the challenges facing the sector include the need for a nationwide grading system for establishments, a ranking system for tour guides, proper mentorship and training for newcomers, and a one-stop tourism stopover, amongst others. It was also suggested that a tourism-related subject be introduced in the school curriculum so that from an early age scholars become aware of the importance of tourism for the country’s growth and economy.
Sem concluded that the tourism sector needed to take hands and work together. “Sectoralism is bedevilling us. In diversity there is power.” Contact the DoT for information on future seminars and workshops at (061) 284 2330/ 2178. (Marita van Rooyen)
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 Wolwedans paves the way to a greener future (24.02.2012)
“Sustainability is about looking at things in the long term and finding win-win solutions across the board without causing damage. Sustainability means to be more conservative in what we take out, and maintaining a balance by putting something back,” says Stephan Brückner, Managing Director of Wolwedans on the NamibRand Nature Reserve in south-western Namibia.
Since its inception in 1995, ‘exclusive’ has been the word used to describe the Wolwedans Collection. But now there’s a more suitable term to sum up the Wolwedans services and facilities: green. Sustainable practices have been on top of the list for tourism developments since the outset, but members of the Wolwedans team are ever focused on making the future greener and on reducing the environmental footprint.
Recently, in line with its environmental ethos, Wolwedans launched a solar-hybrid installation. The hybrid system contains a 36 KW inverter system, a set of 140 solar panels that keep 48 batteries on full power at any time of day, come rain or shine. The new system provides power to the Wolwedans Village, which serves as a logistics base for the camps and lodges of the Wolwedans Collection, all of which are also running on 100% solar power. Wolwedans is set on the NamibRand Nature Reserve The new power system reduces fossil fuel consumption for power generation by 65%, setting a bold example to the local hospitality and tourism sector.
Stephan explains, “Wolwedans has the development of Namibia and the wellbeing of its people at heart. Its ethos lies in setting an example in sustainable tourism, and in its empowerment of employees and commitment to the conservation of the NamibRand Nature Reserve.” He continues that Wolwedans as a tourism operation was born as a supplementary project to sustainable desert life and to create revenue for NamibRand. “From the outset we’ve intuitively been doing what we thought was right.”
At the launch, Jochen Zeitz, the dynamic chairman and CEO of Puma and founder of the Zeitz Foundation, was also present. As the Zeitz Foundation’s guide to assist the world in working towards a better future, Jochen launched the Long Run Initiative.
In 2011 Wolwedans was the first and is currently the only Namibian establishment to be chosen as one of ten Long Run Destinations around the world. But, as Stephan notes, “It takes more than just putting a solar panel on your roof. With the Long Run initiative we aim to create a global green stamp that’s worth its metal.”
Jochen adds that it was hard to find destinations that lived up to the standards of the Zeitz Foundation. These handpicked establishments need to have been built with passion, from the ground up, and focused on the four Cs: conservation, community, culture and commerce. After sending his team of experts to visit Namibia to search for a Long Run Destination, Jochen paid a personal visit and realised that the aim at Wolwedans was to drive conservation in a holistic way. “Namibia, and Wolwedans specifically, is a role model to many countries.”
The NamibRand Nature Reserve is governed by a strict code of ethics, and the number of guests it can accommodate is restricted. Visitor park fees are channelled directly into the conservation aspect of the reserve. Over the years the Wolwedans team has removed as many as 1 500 kilometres of fences in a bid towards a fence-free Namib; has done extensive track rehabilitation; and has removed unused structures, refuse and invasive alien vegetation. A great deal of effort also goes into vocational training and this is where the Wolwedans Foundation comes in as the financial arm of the business. With its key objectives being education, conservation and social development, the foundation funds the Desert Academy and the Namibia Institute of Culinary Education.
To top its list of achievements, Wolwedans was recently nominated under the conservation banner for the 2012 Tourism for Tomorrow awards, one of the highest accolades in the global travel and tourism industry. The winners will be announced in Tokyo, Japan, in April.
Wolwedans was also named one of the world’s 50 best eco-lodges in the National Geographic Traveller magazine of 2010/2011.
The Wolwedans Collection consists of the Dune Camp, Dunes Lodge, Private Camp and Boulders Camp. (Marita van Rooyen)
www.wolwedans.com
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 Launch of the Environmental Assessment Professional Association of Namibia (22.02.2012)
Namibia’s first Environmental Assessment Professional Association of Namibia (EAPAN) was officially launched yesterday.
At the event an executive committee was elected and the constitution, code of conduct, and mission, vision and value statement for the body was approved. The newly elected executive committee is as follows, as they appear from left to right in the photograph: Dr Chris Brown as president, Pierre Botha as vice president, Don Muroua, Simon Charter as treasurer, Stephanie van Zyl as secretary, and Peter Tarr.
For more information on EAPAN, contact Elsie Klintenberg: elsie@envirod.com
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 Sun Karros Lifestyle Safari Lodge opens at Daan Viljoen (22.02.2012)
“We aim to provide the visitor with a unique experience and so generate that ‘wow’ feeling,” explains Johann Grove, Operations Manager for Sun Karros.
After several years of redevelopment, the Sun Karros Lifestyle Safari Lodge at the Daan Viljoen Game Park outside Windhoek is now ready to receive visitors. “This time around we have set our sights on a different niche market. We offer contemporary African luxury accommodation and facilities in an amazing natural environment, with cuisine to match the atmosphere and setting.”
The traditional braai and picnic visitors can no longer be accommodated, since these facilities are not available in the new set-up. But day visitors are still welcome to visit the park, and will be free to do self-drive game viewing, go on one of the hiking trails, and enjoy an á-la-carte meal at The Kraal restaurant. Here, chef Sean Stevenson prepares anything and everything from curry, sole, and hake and chips, to pasta, chicken, and slow-braised pork belly. The Rib Eye is his signature dish, the meat being self-matured for up to 60 days. “I love preparing anything meaty,” he says with a smile.
The Lifestyle Safari Lodge offers 19 double chalets – sheltered and shaded by ancient trees of all shapes and sizes. Two are suites that cater for families or those in need of more space. The interiors are luxuriously cosy and comfortable, having basic amenities such as flat-screen TV, air-conditioning, a fully stocked minibar, free wireless network, and special attention to detail. Each chalet has its own modern braai facility, and a small deck with table and chairs to enjoy the environment. Between the chalets are immaculately stacked rock gardens and communal bomas to meet with neighbours.
A designated sundowner spot on the hill above The Kraal allows 360-degree views over the surrounding mountains and the romantic sight of an illuminated Windhoek in the evenings. Conferencing is another segment of the market that’s being targeted by Sun Karros. With two conference facilities of different sizes, and a third coming soon, there is much to choose from. “We cater for everyone – locals, international clients and conference delegates – all on the same premises, but in their own designated areas. That’s where the restaurant serves as a great spot to mingle and for cultural exchange.”
The campsites have also been revamped. They are all situated on an immense green lawn overlooking the banks of the Augeigas River, where blue wildebeest walk by lazily during the late afternoon. The ablution facilities have a modern and clean look, with some reputed to have the largest showerheads in the country.
Shuttle services to and from town and the airports are available, as well as city tours to Windhoek. Apart from the hiking trails set out for wildlife lovers, benches are situated at birding hotspots around the Augeigas Dam to allow for quiet views of some of the 200 bird species found in the area. Animals that can be seen include giraffe, kudu, gemsbok, springbok, eland, red hartebeest, Hartmann’s mountain zebra, blue wildebeest, baboon, klipspringer, steenbok and rock dassie.
The swimming pool, a fine-dining restaurant and a third conference venue and health spa are next on the list. More changes are in the pipeline, including the launch of mountain-bike trails in the park. For now, go check out the new contemporary African look in this sought-after venue! (Marita van Rooyen)
www.sunkarros.com.na
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 NaDEET staff village launched (22.02.2012)
The Namib Desert Environmental Education Trust (NaDEET) launched its newly constructed staff village this past weekend.
With the slogan ‘Acting today for a better tomorrow’, the village was inaugurated by Albi Brückner, founder of the NamibRand Nature Reserve in which NaDEET is situated, and Viktoria Keding, director of NaDEET.
The village, which consists of four bedrooms, two bathrooms and a communal area, was sponsored by the Wolwedans Foundation and constructed by the Wolwedans carpentry team. The facility was built from canvas and wood, and is a structure that can be removed whenever necessary to return the environment to its natural state. The aim with the village is to provide a suitable home for the NaDEET staff and volunteers, who tirelessly promote a green future and the concept of sustainable living to Namibia’s youth.
“Through education and practising what we preach, NaDEET empowers thousands of Namibians with the knowledge and skills needed to live in a sustainable manner,” explained Viktoria.
The centre functions entirely on solar power, which includes solar cookers and solar-heated water for personal use. School-going kids are the target market, but NaDEET also trains environmental educators and tertiary-level nature-conservation students through practical, hands-on experiences in outdoor teaching. Typically a group will be at the centre from Monday to Friday, and will participate in activities such as measuring their enviro footprint, solar cooking, recycling and a dune walk. Activities are focused on energy, water, waste and biodiversity.
NaDEET is a non-profit Namibian trust, established in 2003. The centre is located 100 kilometres south of Sesriem on the NamibRand Nature Reserve. Since 2003, NaDEET has hosted over 5 100 children and adults, and has a 50% return rate. The centre’s publications – Bush Telegraph and It’s time to… series ¬– have won first place at the Namibian EcoMedia Awards in the last three years.
Many NaDEET student interns now work at the Ministry of Environment and Tourism.
www.nadeet.org
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 15 Years of Tok Tokkie Trails (21.02.2012)
“In the midst of the complexities of modern life, with all its pressures, the spirit of man needs to refresh itself by communion with unspoiled nature. In such surroundings – occasional as our visits may be – we can achieve that kind of physical and spiritual renewal that comes alone from the wonder of the natural world.” Laurance S. Rockefeller
The idea for Tok Tokkie Trails, a guided and fully catered 2 nights/3 days walking trail at NamibRand Nature Reserve, was born in 1995 when Marc and Elinor Duerr were asked why there were no walking trails in Namibia. From then on, they were captivated by the idea. Due to its unique beauty, NamibRand Nature Reserve virtually suggested itself as the place where the trail should be done. And when they obtained one of the five low-impact ecotourism concessions in the reserve, Tok Tokkie Trails was born.
After the founders had done a lot of walking to figure out possible routes, the first Tok Tokkie Trail started on 25 February 1997. Over the years the route, as well as the Tok Tokkie Trails experience, has been fine-tuned. In 2008 the Tok Tokkie Trails concession was transferred to Unlimited Travel & Car Hire cc.
Today, Tok Tokkie Trails is a “Hiking with Style” experience, where guests get close to the Namib’s beauty. Tok Tokkie Trails is a special experience for nature lovers who know that a beautiful landscape is best discovered at a slow pace. Guests can savour the pristine surroundings, be active outdoors, free their mind, make the unusual experience of staying without a roof for more than 48 hours, and still enjoy the luxuries that they do not want to miss.
To celebrate our anniversary you can win a Tok Tokkie Trail for 2 people in the value of N$ 10 000 (conditions apply) by liking Tok Tokkie Trails on Facebook (Tok Tokkie Trails Namibia) and by sending the correct answer to the question “Where does the name Tok Tokkie Trails come from?” as well as your contact details to barbara@toktokkietrails.com by 15 March 2012.
www.toktokkietrails.com
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 Namibia meets United Arab Emirates (21.02.2012)
“Namibia is Africa’s gateway for beginners. The Namibia Tourism Board is unleashing its marketing arsenal to test waters in Nordic, Baltic, Chinese, United Arab Emirates and North American markets,” said Chief Executive Officer of the NTB, Digu //Naobeb, at a networking event held on Friday. A group of tourism stakeholders and product-decision makers from the United Arab Emirates is currently visiting Namibia to learn more about the country’s appeal to tourists.
Digu explained that the networking event was one of the vehicles devised to bring international service providers on board. “The aim to educate these suppliers regarding our product offerings and Namibia’s appeal for discerning tourists, is not premised only on what there is to offer, but also on what needs to be done in packaging and providing brochures so as to ensure that Namibia clinches the sales deal.” He continued that Namibia was a country that charmed visitors with its peacefulness, unspoiled nature, multitude of flora and fauna, and its friendly people. It had the capacity to lure the traveller to come and visit again and again. And as if transfixed, the whole group of UAE delegates and media representatives nodded their heads and smiled in unison.
Minister of Environment and Tourism, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, briefly answered the question on many a people’s lips: why would UAE nationals travel to Namibia since their own tourism offerings were far more innovative and they also had deserts in their countries. “All deserts, including those harbouring desert Oryx – found both in Namibia and in the UAE – are different in make-up and form. Also, one of the essentials of tourism is to exchange knowledge of cultures and heritage. The industry will have to be innovative and constantly introduce new products into the market. We have to make sure that Namibia becomes known where it has never been known before.”
Jalal Balala, organiser for the group and head of the Africa Connection in Dubai, added that the group would try its best to popularise Namibia as a travelling destination. “For Namibia, visibility is of the utmost importance. Our main purpose in coming here is to know, see, go back and tell others that Namibia is a gem worth visiting.”
The group will be touring Namibia until 24 February, with one section of the participants focusing on Namibia’s wildlife and the other on the country’s landscapes. (Marita van Rooyen).
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MET launches Enviro Investment Fund (16.02.2012)
The Ministry of Environment and Tourism on Monday launched the Environmental Investment Fund. The fund will enable Namibia to start raising financial resources for direct investment in environmental protection and natural resource management, and so improve the well-being of the environment. Funding for the EIF will be done through environmental levies.
www.met.gov.na
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Namibia ready to bid for adventure (16.02.2012)
“Experience the endless horizons of Namibia, listen to the symphonies of silence in the Namib, or stay in a cultural village in Damarland or Caprivi.” Minister Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah.
The Ministry of Environment and Tourism of Namibia is currently hard at work to finalise bidding documents to host the 2013 Adventure World Travel Summit. “Preparations so far are impressive. We are making all efforts. The summit will come to Namibia, we just need each Namibian’s moral support,” said the minister. The opportunity to host the summit is a great honour, as the host country welcomes 700 of the most adventurous and influential people of the adventure sector. The conference attracts international tourism executives who specialise in adventure, different tour operators, media, tourism boards, and airline representatives, who all get together to discuss global industry issues. Strong points that make Namibia a tough contender includes its sustainable tourism strategy, community-based tourism successes, the increase in numbers of previously endangered species such as the rhino, and its large areas of protected land.
Namibia is the only country in Africa that grabbed the opportunity to host the summit in 2013. Destinations have to submit their bids to the Adventure Travel Trade Association by 1 March. The Adventure Travel Trade Association will come to Namibia in June this year, while the bidding announcement will be in August.
www.met.gov.na
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 Spa day at Gocheganas (16.02.2012)
In Namibia we go about things at an unhurried pace, and we like our visitors to join in the slow swing. So it’s always a good choice to start or end your holiday at a relaxing venue where you can laze on the verandah and gaze at the surrounding bushveld. Life gets even better when there’s a masseuse on hand and spa facilities on site. And that’s where ‘the place of the camel-thorn trees’ comes as the perfect choice. An easily accessible 29 kilometres south of Windhoek, Gocheganas is one of Namibia’s top wellness facilities.
At the entrance gates you will be greeted by Abraham Afrikaner’s large smile, and directed to the parking lot. The four-kilometre drive from the gate is a grand introduction to what awaits you at the top of the hill – splendid views of the Aris Mountains and Kanonkop. Vast plains of yellow flowers, camel-thorn trees, herds of gemsbok, warthog families, lone kudus and grazing giraffes await the curious eye, with more of the shyer species hiding amongst the trees. Guests are transported from the parking lot to the lodge for the last couple of metres, where peace and tranquillity awaits them.
The Wellness Centre at Gocheganas is managed by Kathryn McLean, a born-and-bred Namibian who has international SAAHSP, CIDESCO and CIBTAC certificates in beauty therapy. She’s worked in the wellness and tourism sector for 12 years, where she owned her own business; has managed a large spa in South Africa; and has worked in partnership with medical doctors. While Kathryn has six qualified therapists to assist her, she still prefers to do some of the treatments herself because she likes to be ‘hands on and see people get to feel better’.
“I just love the bush, and the whole area south of Windhoek,” she acknowledges. “With its combination of tranquillity, wellness and nature, combined with spectacular views, Gocheganas offers something unique. Everything in the package goes wonderfully hand-in-hand.” And Kathryn fits in perfectly.
Treatments are offered in one of three hives: the Quartz Hive is there for hydrotherapy and the Vichy shower; the Veld Hive for massages and peels; and the Mica Hive for skincare, manicures, pedicures and waxes. The Wellness Centre also has a heated swimming pool, Kneipp shower, granite sauna and basic gym. The best part of the treatment is probably the views over the surrounding bush, accompanied by the sounds of birds chirping right outside the walls of the hive. There’s also the option of an Outdoor Safari Massage, for those who don’t like the constricting walls and would like to feel the natural breeze on their backs. “Game viewing in your gown,” as Kathryn puts it.
Take a day out of your busy schedule and indulge in a spa day. You can lazily fit in a hydrobath and full body massage before lunch, with a facial and crystal bath afterwards. In between, try a soft hartebeest steak with vegetables and potato bake, rounded off with a chocolate brownie, before you relax some more.
The Gocheganas Indulge & Unwind Valentine’s Special is on until the end of February. The package includes a full body massage for one person, or two back and neck massages; a Theravine facial; choice of manicure or pedicure; full use of the spa facilities; and lunch for two people. The spa is open from 07:00 to 22:00, while treatments can be booked between 09:30 and 17:30. A Loyalty Programme is available for those who plan to return for more treatments. (Marita van Rooyen)
www.gocheganas.com
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 Five fives for rhino (15.02.2012)
“Rhinos, specifically the black rhino, are Namibia’s flagship species. It is no secret that our country is a world leader in rhino conservation, and we are extremely proud of this achievement. Research suggests that black rhino populations have more than doubled in north-western Namibia over the past 30 years, and much of this can be attributed to Community-based Natural Resource Management. Despite international legislation and domestic bans on trade in rhino horn, rhino are still under threat from poachers. In partnership with MTC, MET has established an SMS ‘hotline’ that enables people to share information that may threaten the safety of our rhinos and other natural heritage.” Minister of Environment and Tourism, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah.
The SMS number is 55555.
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 Five fives for rhino (15.02.2012)
“Rhinos, specifically the black rhino, are Namibia’s flagship species. It is no secret that our country is a world leader in rhino conservation, and we are extremely proud of this achievement. Research suggests that black rhino populations have more than doubled in north-western Namibia over the past 30 years, and much of this can be attributed to Community-based Natural Resource Management. Despite international legislation and domestic bans on trade in rhino horn, rhino are still under threat from poachers. In partnership with MTC, MET has established an SMS ‘hotline’ that enables people to share information that may threaten the safety of our rhinos and other natural heritage.” Minister of Environment and Tourism, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah.
The SMS number is 55555.
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NTB National Star Grading draft regulations released (07.02.2012)
The Namibia Tourism Board (NTB) has recently released the draft copy of the National Tourist Accommodation Star Grading Scheme.
The Star Grading Scheme is not compulsory and is open for participation by owners of any accommodation establishment in the country. Accommodation establishments include bed and breakfasts; guest farms; guesthouses; hotel pensions; hotels; lodges (excluding tented lodges); rest camps; self-catering establishments; tented camps; and tented lodges.
The Star Grading awards are allocated by the NTB to indicate the quality standards, level of facilities and services that can be expected by the establishment. Awards range from 5-star, which signifies exceptional quality and luxurious accommodation, to 1-star, which means the establishment offers a fair service.
To apply for Star Grading, accommodation facilities will need to hand in an application form; accompanied by a true copy of the certificate of registration; the appropriate application fee prescribed in the Annexure; and an accommodation voucher, which is a written undertaking by or on behalf of the owner of the accommodation establishment to be assessed, whereby the owner agrees to provide to an inspector.
The NTB is waiting for feedback from the tourism sector before the final regulations will be released. For more information, contact the NTB.
www.namibiatourism.com.na
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 A Valentine's Date with Big Cats (07.02.2012)
On 14 February, the Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF) will host world-famous wildlife photographers and authors, Jonathan and Angela Scott, in Windhoek.
Jonathan and Angela are well known for their photographs, books, and the internationally acclaimed TV series Big Cat Diaries. The lecture and fundraiser, Love your Predators: A Valentine’s Date With Big Cats, will be held at the Thule Hotel at 18:30. The talk will include striking images featuring the Masai Mara in Kenya, while Jonathan and Angie will share some great anecdotes about the lives of the magnificent Big Cats. Says Laurie Marker, founder and executive director of the CCF, “Jonathan and Angie are two of the most respected conservationists in the world, and few people know the importance of predators more than them.” The couple added, “As honorary patrons of the CCF (UK) we are thrilled with the opportunity to join Dr Marker and reacquaint ourselves with the work of the Fund. Namibia is one of our favourite wild places, one of the most scenic spots on the planet.”
Jonathan and Angie Scott are based in Kenya. They have written and illustrated 26 books and are the only couple to have individually won the Overall Award in the prestigious Wildlife Photographer of the Year Competition – Jonathan in 1987 and Angie in 2002. They have been honoured as Canon Ambassadors and members of the SanDisk Elite Team – a small group of world-renowned photographers whose work and ethos has proved an inspiration to others. Jonathan has presented TV series such as Big Cat Diaries, Elephant Diaries, Big Bear Diary, and Dawn to Dusk.
“The Scotts have dedicated their lives to helping to preserve the planet’s last great wilderness areas and in particular its big cats. They are highly sought after motivational speakers, enthralling their audience with the depth of their knowledge and the beauty of their imagery,” ended Laurie.
The wild cheetah population has decreased 90% in just over 100 years, from 100 000 in 44 countries at the end of the 19th century to approximately 10 000 today. The CCF aims to conserve the cheetah and ultimately ensure its future on our planet by working with all stakeholders within the cheetah’s ecosystem to develop best practices in research, education and ecology and create a sustainable model from which all other species, including people, will benefit.
Tickets are N$250 and include appetizers. For information about the event or to reserve tickets, contact the CCF: Heike at 067-304 806 or 081-3454605, and Santa 067-306 225 or 081-610 6884.
www.cheetah.org
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 N/a’an ku sê celebrates 2011 achievements (07.02.2012)
In 2011, the N/a’an ku sê Foundation, a not-for profit organisation committed to the conservation of the wildlife and the people of Namibia, celebrated its most successful year in terms of achieving its goals.
Says Rudie Van Vuuren, who found and manages N/a’an ku sê Foundation with his wife Marlize, “Our vision is an Africa where humans and wildlife can live and thrive together. Our mission is to conserve the land, cultures and wildlife of Namibia, and rescue species threatened by an ever-shrinking habitat. With your help we are making our dream a reality. In 2011 your support helped us achieve real change in the lives of the people and wildlife of Namibia.”
During 2011, N/a’an ku sê Foundation rescued, rehabilitated and rereleased five cheetahs, two leopards, one brown hyena, two caracals and one serval back into the wild. In June, N/a’an ku sê realised its biggest translocation project ever and one of the biggest in Namibia, relocating and releasing eight cats at once. In October, N/a’an ku sê released its 40th collared carnivore, which is now being tracked in order to provide on-going research evidence to ensure the future of the conservation model. The organisation provided a safe home to lions, wild dogs, cheetahs, leopards, baboons, caracals, and a large number of farmyard animals.
Furthermore, N/a’an ku sê’s Clever Cubs School gave free pre-school education to 30 San Bushman toddlers and supported 13 children in their studies at mainstream schools. Three kids graduated from pre-primary school. N/a’an ku sê’s Lifeline Clinic in Epukiro provided free primary healthcare to over 3 500 San Bushman.
“In 2011, over 400 volunteers gave thousands of days of their time to support our projects. They were aged from 18 to 70 and came to Namibia from all over the world including Europe, Australia, South America and Asia, to name just a few. With no experience or qualifications necessary, our projects offer people the opportunity to make a lasting and tangible difference to the lives of the vulnerable San community and Namibia’s wildlife.”
The N/a’an ku sê Lodge also saw visitors and guests arriving from all over the world. N/a’an ku sê Lodge is the only charity lodge in Namibia, meaning that all funds from the lodge is invested back into N/ a’an ku sê projects.
www.naankuse.com
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 New at the Hilton (06.02.2012)
Roll out the red carpet (an action taken literally by Hilton management), because Windhoek’s one and only five-star hotel now boasts a new executive chef, and a wine bar.
Paul Gindra, who hails all the way from our neighbouring country of South Africa, left his home soils at the age of 17 to start his apprenticeship in the United Kingdom. Now, some 12 years later, he has worked all over the world at some of the most exclusive hotels. His experience includes having worked as the opening head chef at various 5-star establishments in Ethiopia and South Africa and he was also part of the South African Olympic Culinary Team that won gold in Germany in 2008.
Paul creates out-of-this-world culinary delights (a typical six-course meal can include the following: oxtail ravioli with apricot relish; cauliflower soup with Alaskan crab, parsley and parmesan oil; trio of duck with mustard potato rosti, baby herb salad and cranberry dressing; green apple, spearmint and cardamom sorbet; rack of Namibian lamb with smoked garlic mashed potato, seasonal baby veggies and red wine jus; rounded off with chocolate, Turkish delight and nougat terrine with pistachio ice-cream and vanilla tuile), while his other duties include menu design, planning and implementation, training and managing the kitchen team. “Duck is one of my favourite meats to cook with,” he admits. Paul is supported in the kitchen by a great team of young, energetic chefs. “I believe in returning to basics and cooking uncomplicated dishes that rely on the natural flavours with the best quality ingredients. My vision for the Hilton Windhoek is to provide great cuisine, exceptional service and a wonderful ambience that our guests would love to experience time and again.”
With Paul’s introduction, came the launch of the D’vine Bar, where Eldon Kaiyamo rules as self-taught master of the wine game. He mentions that he is very proud to have the 2007 Tokara Director’s Reserve on his wine list, and describes it as “a bold wine that goes well with lamb.” South Africa’s best vintage cup classic of 2011 is also on the list. The D’vine Bar specialises in wines from South Africa, but also offers a selection from across the globe. Snacks and nibbles that can be paired with quality wines include cheese and biltong platters, pizzas, seafood, and vegetarian antipasti.
The Hilton Windhoek is one of 540 Hilton hotels from 77 countries worldwide. (MvR).
www.hilton.com.
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Lianshulu Lodge under new Ownership (06.02.2012)
Lianshulu Lodge is open again under new ownership and management.
The ownership consists of Dutch nationals Alexander Van Heeren and Peter Van Langeveldt as well as Dusty Rodgers who is well known in the Namibian Tourism & Hospitality Industry and Reinhardt Küsters, a local shipping entrepreneur.
Van Heeren & Langeveldt are both shareholders in Susuwe Island Lodge as well as Huka Retreats, an exclusive collection of properties including world renowned Huka Lodge in New Zealand, Dolphin Island in Fiji and Grand Provence Estate in Franschhoek, South Africa.
Lianshulu Lodges which includes Lianshulu Main Lodge and Lianshulu Bush Lodge on an 800 ha private concession in the Mudumu National Park along the Kwando River as well as Matota Island Lodge, situated on the Mamili National Park cut line inside the Bayelerwa Conservancy in the Eastern Caprivi Strip of Namibia, will be incorporated into a fully fledged marketing & management company known as The Caprivi Collection with central reservations and marketing based in Swakopmund under the management of Anette Küsters who too is no stranger to the travel and airline industry in Namibia.
The company has already embarked on an extensive renovations and refurbishments of the properties and Lianshulu Main Lodge is now open for bookings with the remaining two properties opening on a gradual phase-in as business demands this.
This development will see the company having traversing rights through over 300 000ha, equal to the size of Belgium, of one of the most pristine and unspoiled natural wildlife areas which now form part of the Kavango Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA) spanning Namibia, Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Angola.
Further to local activities, the company will soon offer access to safari circuits in Botswana via our own border post at Lianshulu Lodge.
A range of exclusive activities which includes river trips, transfers and overnight fly camps will be on offer with our affiliated properties within the area.
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 Made in Namibia Expo 2011 (30.11.2011)
The Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) in conjunction with the Namibian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NCCI) and the Namibia Manufacturers Association (NMA) are currently hosting the Made in Namibia Expo, the first ever business Expo focusing on 130 small scale manufacturers and producers from all 13 regions of the country.
The expo kicked off on 29 November, and will run until 1 December at the Safari Hotel in Windhoek.
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 Hilton announces new executive head chef (29.11.2011)
On 28 November Hilton Windhoek announced the appointment of Paul Gindra as its new Executive Head Chef.
“I believe in returning to basics and cooking uncomplicated dishes that rely on the natural flavours with the best quality ingredients. My vision for the Hilton Windhoek is to provide great cuisine, exceptional service and a wonderful ambience that our guests would love to experience time and again.”
Paul, who grew up in South Africa, left to start his apprenticeship in the United Kingdom when he was 17 years old. With 12 years of industry experience, he has worked at some of the most exclusive hotels with several talented chefs. His experience includes having worked as the opening head chef at various 5-star establishments in Ethiopia and South Africa and was also part of the South African Olympic Culinary Team that won gold in Germany in 2008.
As well as creating culinary delights for the hotel’s diners, his main duties will include menu design, planning and implementation, training and managing the kitchen team.
Roman Kopacek, General Manager at Hilton Windhoek added, “Paul is a valuable asset to our hotel, not only does he bring new ideas to our kitchen but he also sets the standard when it comes to good quality food.”
www.hilton.com
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Upcoming NTB anniversary events (04.03.2011)
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Namibia: It’s Open Season! (03.06.2010)
In order to generate an increase in visitors during the Soccer World Cup period, the Namibian Tourism Board (NTB), in collaboration with Air Namibia, has invited the tourism sector to participate in the initiative Namibia: It’s open season.
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2010 Tourism Expo launched (03.06.2010)
At the official launch of the annual Namibia Tourism Expo, currently in its 11th year, the Minister of Tourism, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, proudly announced: “It is gratifying to see that the Expo has become a national tourism event presenting a platform where both international and domestic tourism is encouraged.”
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Editorial (01.06.2010)
And now the time has come and the floodgates are about to open. The whole world will have its eyes glued on Southern Africa for an entire month, from 11 June to 11 July. Fittingly, the Namibia Tourism Expo in Windhoek ends a few days before the first kick-off in Soweto.
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SA requires transit visas (01.06.2010)
As from 1 June 2010, visitors who travel via South Africa to neighbouring countries must have a transit visa to do so. The only travellers who do not need a transit visa, are people travelling on passports from countries that do not require a normal visitor’s visa.
francis.birkenbach@dha.gov.za
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 Tourism our hidden treasure, says President Pohamba (01.05.2010)
“In many ways, the travel and tourism sector in Namibia can be seen as a hidden treasure that has yet to be discovered. The quest for its discovery is a challenge to policy makers, investors, ser-vice providers and communi-ties that stand to benefit immensely from the exploitation of the sector’s full potential.”
President Hifikepunye Pohamba
• New Cabinet sworn in – Tourism Minister stays
• Tourism concessions awarded
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 Xwama Cultural Village (01.03.2010)
Setting culture alight
In the heart of Katutura – Windhoek’s famous township where the people originally didn’t want to live – is a little cultural jewel that attracts curious locals and tourists alike. Xwama Cultural Village, located on the corner of Independence Avenue and Omongo Street in the Wanaheda area of Katutura, was created by two Namibians, Twapewa Mudjanima and her husband Erastus Kadhikwa, who were both born with a large dose of ambition and a serious love for traditional culture.
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 River Crossing Lodge (01.03.2010)
Magnificent medley between city and bush
The slogan says it all: “Feel the pulse of the city from the heart of the bushveld.”
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 Mowani Mountain Camp (01.03.2010)
A magic granite enclave
Nearing Twyfelfontein, the landscape changes abruptly from mopane grassland to include granite koppies. Entering this magic mountain world, the guest encounters a pocket of energy, an enchanted granite enclave. Mowani Mountain Camp appears snuggled into large granite boulders, its high thatched-roofed beehive domes reminiscent of an African kingdom of old.
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 Onguma Tree Top Camp (01.03.2010)
Part rustic tree house, part luxury camp
“Four tree top rooms; eight privileged guests.” The wording in the Onguma Tree Top Camp brochure couldn’t have put it more succinctly.
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 CITW Celebration Day (01.03.2010)
Education, the fun way
“Children in the Wilderness uses the healing power of nature to inspire its young participants.” (Jacky Heath, Group Financial Manager, Wilderness Safaris)
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 Hospitality Industry Supports Students (22.02.2010)
The Hospitality Association of Namibia (HAN) and Kempinski Hotels Namibia recently handed out a number of bursaries for students to the Polytechnic of Namibia.
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 What the rain brings (01.02.2010)
With an abundant rainy season, comes a fresh, vibrant burst of pink, purple and white in the usual arid landscapes of Maltahöhe.
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 Art colonies and craft centres in Namibia’s small towns (01.01.2010)
How does a sleepy little town, a mere wide spot in the road in the middle of Southern Africa, become an art colony, enticing both artists and visitors from around the world? Namibia’s Omaruru, which in the Herero language literally means ‘this is a place where the grass makes the cows’ milk sour,’ has morphed into a creative centre and a hotspot for both locals and tourists.
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 HAN Tourism awareness initiative (01.01.2010)
“Tourism – neither the word nor its meaning ever meant anything to me, but now I see that almost every sector in society is somehow involved in this vast industry!” This was the comment of one of the 20 Windhoek City Junior Councillors at an exciting tourism awareness initiative held during September.
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 Venture wins eco award (03.12.2009)
Venture Publications recently won first prize at the Eco Media Awards Namibia for outstanding reporting on environmental subjects in the category, ‘Publisher’. The handover ceremony, which was a grand event, formed part of the 2009 Hospitality Association of Namibia (HAN) Gala Evening held at Arrebusch Travel Lodge Conference Centre on 27 November.
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Air Namibia update (23.11.2009)
Air Namibia has just announced the new interline agreement for E-ticketing (IET) with US Airways.
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 Latest Italian TNN (01.09.2009)
Tourists who visit Italy for the first time usually see Rome, Florence, Venice and Naples. Then they progress to Umbria, Como, Puglia, Cinque Terre and Sicily. The parallel must-sees for first time visitors to Namibia are Etosha, Sossusvlei, Windhoek, and Swakopmund.
Search for this version under our "Special Editions" Section.
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 Fish River Lodge (01.09.2009)
Views from the edge of the world
The Fish River Canyon is breathtaking. There’s no other way to describe it. The sheer magnitude of this natural wonder is enough to leave your mind in awe and your body gasping for air.
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 Islands in Africa (01.09.2009)
Hidden island retreats
On tiny islands in the storied Zambezi, Chobe and Kwando rivers, we found three luxury hideaways: Islands in Africa’s Susuwe, Impalila and Ntwala, each in its own distinctive setting. It was impossible to choose a favourite, so we’ve decided to revisit them all the next time we’re in Namibia’s Caprivi, a narrow finger of land that borders Angola, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Botswana. They are ideal stops for trips onward to Vic Falls, the Okavango, or Etosha.
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 Kaokoland Clean Up Campaign (01.09.2009)
Removing waste for a cleaner wilderness
The Kaokoveld is one of Namibia’s most pristine and unspoilt natural environments. With its rugged terrain, rocky mountains, grassy plains and desert landscapes, it is an area of remote wilderness that draws local and international travellers alike.
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 Conservation success (01.09.2009)
What a wonderful bird is the pelican!
Not only because “His beak can hold more than his belly can…..”, as the well-known ditty goes, but also because he (or she) can attain a ripe old age. We may well have a world record for geriatric pelicans in Namibia – at least one of our birds has lived to see Namibia change between 1972 and 2009.
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 Okarohombo Campsite (01.09.2009)
Into the Marienfluss wilderness
In the Marienfluss along the Kunene River bordering Angola, in the remote north-western Kunene Region of Namibia, the Okarohombo Campsite is situated under giant ana trees with the mountains of Angola looming across the river bank.
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 Skeleton Coast Park (01.08.2009)
Most sought-after tourism concession up for grabs
The existing concession area measures about 175 000 hectares, stretching from a point just north of Möwe Bay known as Westies, inland to the southern bank of the Hoarusib River, eastwards to the park border, northwards to the Nadas River, west along the river to the road leading north to the old Angra Fria radio station (including the Okau Waterhole), and then west again to Angra Fria, between an old observation shelter and south of the wreck site of the Dunedin Star.
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 Namibia’s Big Five - world-class destinations on our doorstep (27.05.2009)
South Africa has Table Mountain, Botswana has vast numbers of wildlife, Zimbabwe has Vic Falls, Angola has diamonds and Zambia has the Liuwa plains and the Luangwa valley. So what does Namibia have that makes it unique?
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 Gondwana Cañon Park - A paradise for game and hikers (27.05.2009)
Visitors to the Fish River Canyon in southern Namibia reap a double reward these days. On approaching the enormous gorge they can see springbok, gemsbok and ostrich on both sides of the road – and with a little luck even hartebeest, zebra and wildebeest.
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 To the moon and back… in an afternoon (27.05.2009)
3, 2, 1… Lift off! Perhaps too much has changed since that first ‘giant leap for mankind’ and the Voyager space shuttle that hurtled into space carrying a golden audio record with humpback whale songs, a babel of human greetings and directions to Earth.
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 National Parks of Namibia - A diverse suite of alternative breaks for travellers (27.05.2009)
From the icy waters of the Atlantic to the swamps of Caprivi, shimmering white fortresses to extraordinary plants, the sweeping landscapes, magnificent game viewing and spacious surroundings set Namibia’s protected areas apart from those of her rivals.
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Spa day at Gocheganas (00.00.0000)
In Namibia we go about things at an unhurried pace, and we like our visitors to join in the slow swing. So it’s always a good choice to start or end your holiday at a relaxing venue where you can laze on the verandah and gaze at the surrounding bushveld. Life gets even better when there’s a masseuse on hand and spa facilities on site. And that’s where ‘the place of the camel-thorn trees’ comes as the perfect choice. An easily accessible 29 kilometres south of Windhoek, Gocheganas is one of Namibia’s top wellness facilities.
At the entrance gates you will be greeted by Abraham Afrikaner’s large smile, and directed to the parking lot. The four-kilometre drive from the gate is a grand introduction to what awaits you at the top of the hill – splendid views of the Aris Mountains and Kanonkop. Vast plains of yellow flowers, camel-thorn trees, herds of gemsbok, warthog families, lone kudus and grazing giraffes await the curious eye, with more of the shyer species hiding amongst the trees. Guests are transported from the parking lot to the lodge for the last couple of metres, where peace and tranquillity awaits them.
The Wellness Centre at Gocheganas is managed by Kathryn McLean, a born-and-bred Namibian who has international SAAHSP, CIDESCO and CIBTAC certificates in beauty therapy. She’s worked in the wellness and tourism sector for 12 years, where she owned her own business; has managed a large spa in South Africa; and has worked in partnership with medical doctors. While Kathryn has six qualified therapists to assist her, she still prefers to do some of the treatments herself because she likes to be ‘hands on and see people get to feel better’.
“I just love the bush, and the whole area south of Windhoek,” she acknowledges. “With its combination of tranquillity, wellness and nature, combined with spectacular views, Gocheganas offers something unique. Everything in the package goes wonderfully hand-in-hand.” And Kathryn fits in perfectly.
Treatments are offered in one of three hives: the Quartz Hive is there for hydrotherapy and the Vichy shower; the Veld Hive for massages and peels; and the Mica Hive for skincare, manicures, pedicures and waxes. The Wellness Centre also has a heated swimming pool, Kneipp shower, granite sauna and basic gym. The best part of the treatment is probably the views over the surrounding bush, accompanied by the sounds of birds chirping right outside the walls of the hive. There’s also the option of an Outdoor Safari Massage, for those who don’t like the constricting walls and would like to feel the natural breeze on their backs. “Game viewing in your gown,” as Kathryn puts it.
Take a day out of your busy schedule and indulge in a spa day. You can lazily fit in a hydrobath and full body massage before lunch, with a facial and crystal bath afterwards. In between, try a soft hartebeest steak with vegetables and potato bake, rounded off with a chocolate brownie, before you relax some more.
The Gocheganas Indulge & Unwind Valentine’s Special is on until the end of February. The package includes a full body massage for one person, or two back and neck massages; a Theravine facial; choice of manicure or pedicure; full use of the spa facilities; and lunch for two people. The spa is open from 07:00 to 22:00, while treatments can be booked between 09:30 and 17:30. A Loyalty Programme is available for those who plan to return for more treatments. (Marita van Rooyen)
www.gocheganas.com
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N/a’an ku sê launches four new projects (00.00.0000)
At a prestigious event held last week at N/a’an ku sê headquarters in Windhoek, Namibian conservationists Rudie and Marlice van Vuuren launched four new projects under the N/a’an ku sê Foundation banner: N/a'an ku sê Lodge and Wildlife Sanctuary; Utopia Medi Spa and Boutique; Namib Carnivore Conservation Centre; and Neuras Wine and Wildlife Estate.
N/a'an ku sê Foundation was established in 2006 with two aims – to protect and conserve Namibia’s vulnerable wildlife and to improve the lives of the marginalised San Bushman community. “Since 2006 we have come a long way and are delighted to introduce you to our new initiatives,” said Marlice.
“We endeavour to be at the forefront of conservation and seek to give the general public access to conservation opportunities. The Foundation revealed an exciting new initiative in conservation and education: by the end of 2012 visitors will have the opportunity to track two white rhino on N/a’an ku sê’s 3 200 hectare reserve. “Our experienced guides and biologists will accompany guests on our reserve and teach you the techniques involved with tracking as you also learn about white rhino in their natural habitat.”
The Utopia Medi Spa and Boutique, located at 64 Nelson Mandela Avenue, Windhoek, was also launched at the occasion. The first and only medi spa in Namibia, this modern and up-market boutique establishment is set in a tranquil suburb in the heart of Windhoek. The Utopia Boutique consists of seven luxurious and spacious en-suite rooms, all with balconies overlooking the Klein Windhoek River. “At The Utopia Boutique and Medi Spa we have only one vision and that is for our guests to rest, rejuvenate and refresh.” The food is made from the freshest and healthiest ingredients and guests have access to the boardroom facilities, a fully equipped gym, swimming pool, and can even consult the resident biokineticists. Airport transfers can be arranged.
“Our third new initiative is the Namib Carnivore Conservation Centre. Working in partnership with Solitaire Guest Farm Desert Ranch, N/a’an ku sê hosts a carnivore research base in the heart of Namibia’s southern desert. The aim of this project is to solve human-wildlife conflicts in Namibia through sound scientific research on densities, home ranges and territories of cheetahs, leopards and hyena. We also seek to promote the rehabilitation and reintroduction of large carnivores. In addition to our important research project and carnivore releases we offer a unique educational cheetah-tracking safari for tourists.”
The Namib Carnivore Conservation Centre is situated 6 kilometres from Solitaire at the edge of the Namib Desert, in a paradise of open grass plains, speckled with camel thorn trees and other mature trees, rough mountain ranges with stunning mountain features and dry riverbeds. The accommodation is cosy with rustic dining and farmhouse style rooms along with a swimming pool for guests to enjoy at the end of a long hot day.
The N/a’an ku sê Foundation, a not-for profit organisation committed to the conservation of the wildlife and the people of Namibia, recently took ownership of Neuras, home to the world’s driest vineyard to become Neuras: N/a’an ku sê Wine and Wildlife Estate, where wine supports conservation.
“Protection of habitat for wildlife is the main mission behind acquiring the 14 000 hectares of desert, thereby extending the mission of N/a’an ku sê to promote co-existence of humans and wildlife.” The land is situated close to NamibRand and Neuhoff, both conservation areas that offer protection to large carnivores. N/a’an ku sê has already celebrated the release of a collared male leopard named Tyson, who is thriving in his new habitat, and last week a young caracal female.
The charity will follow in the footsteps of Allan and Sylvia Walkden-Davis, who owned and cultivated the land since 1997 when the first vines were planted. They have built a mythical wine brand and N/a’an ku sê founders, Rudie and Marlice, are proud to work with them to continue their legacy. “With Allan’s help we will most certainly keep on making the mythical Namib red wines, hoping to bring people to Neuras and to showcase our conservation efforts.”
The land, which is 80 kilometres from Sossusvlei, produces around 3000 bottles of Namib red wine a year, specialising in Shiraz and Merlot. As well as producing wine, Neuras: N/a’an ku sê Wine and Wildlife Estate will offer delicious food, rustic accommodation and unique activities for tourists, including tours of our winery, vineyard and cellar, wine tastings, carnivore tracking and birding tours. Visits to the 'Honey Canyon', home to the fourteenth longest cave in Namibia, can be arranged. Here, visitors can learn about how the ancient San lived and take excursions to the Tsauchab River, which rises in the Naukluft and Tsaris Mountains and flows through the Sesriem Canyon and beyond. Neuras: N/a’an ku sê Wine and Wildlife Estate will also form part of N/a’an ku sê’s Volunteer Programme which sees over 400 people from all over the world each year work with N/a’an ku sê research biologists.
This prestigious launch evening was rounded off with an exclusive showing of an episode of Wild Animal Orphans, a 13-episode TV programme featuring N/a'an ku sê and the work of Rudie and Marlice.
The N/a’an ku sê Foundation also comprises The N/a’an ku sê Lodge and Wildlife Sanctuary, located just 30 minutes from the airport and an hour from the city centre.
www.naankuse.com
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One tourist destination, five countries – the launch of KAZA TFCA (00.00.0000)
The world’s largest transfrontier conservation area was launched in Katima Mulilo last week, when Namibia, Angola, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Botswana put the final stamp of approval on the Kavango Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA TFCA).
The area of 444 000 square kilometres – viewed by many as a tourism diamond in the rough – is a biodiversity hotspot and home to almost 50 per cent of Africa’s elephants. Eight hundred bird species have been recorded in the KAZA region, which encompasses at least 26 protected wildlife areas, including national parks, game reserves, forest reserves and communal areas. KAZA extends over the Okavango and Zambezi river basins. It is a bio-diversity hotspot and home to thousands of communities whose livelihood depends on the natural surroundings.
The Caprivi Region, which forms the nucleus of KAZA, links the five countries involved. It is famed for its natural beauty, wildlife, river systems and traditional heritage. Several national parks have sprung up in the narrow strip situated in the far north-eastern corner of Namibia. The TFCA acts as a blueprint for the successful implementation of community-based conservation projects, and is a unique example of the reintroduction of wildlife such as giraffe, which had vanished from the surroundings in the past decades.
For the five partner countries, tourism is the key ingredient of the area, and is seen as a socioeconomic development tool due to its ‘strong multiplier effects’.
While tourism already plays a pivotal role in the Namibian, Zimbabwean and Botswana components of KAZA, the TFCA is seen as the tool that will open up the rest of the block to tourists. Untapped tourist hotspots in Angola and Zambia can now open their doors, backed by the experience and expertise of partner countries.
Tourism operators are enthusiastic about the prospect. According to Katy Sharpe, who owns Tutwa Tourism and Travel, a company based in Namibia’s Caprivi Region, KAZA presents a unique opportunity to promote the entire area as a ‘tourism package’.
“KAZA is a big marketing tool. It’s a good concept. People are benefiting, conservation is benefiting, and so is wildlife.”
The initial focus in KAZA is to reopen historic wildlife areas and corridors that were artificially divided by man-made borders in the previous century. This led to wildlife migration routes being cut off, not only through boundaries but also because of conflict in some areas.
The vision with KAZA is to reopen migration routes and attract tourists to scenically beautiful areas that have thus far failed to attract visitors. Namibian Minister of Environment and Tourism Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah said at the KAZA launch that the transfrontier area was “…blessed with an abundance of unique plants and animals, wetland areas, beautiful landscapes and people with diverse cultures.” Conservation and tourism activities combined would create a ‘win-win’ situation that would ultimately “…carry significant economic rewards for the local community and our respective countries at large.”
She said that the sustainable use of wildlife through tourism, trophy hunting and other forms of wildlife usage was a well-entrenched rural development strategy in the KAZA TFCA, and that this concept would continue to set the baseline for future management of the area.
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