Shoddy journalism could harm tourism
THE NWR is aware that certain members of the print media have recently started making the company a scapegoat for the vindictiveness of other interested parties.
It is really horrifying to see certain lodge tails wagging the
newspaper dog.
NWR is only too pleased to put the record straight as far as Day
Visitor Fees are concerned.
These have indeed been introduced as from 1 January 2004, but
the industry was given ample warning.
As far back as October 2003 the first press releases went out to
inform both the public and the industry of an increase in NWR
tariffs and the announcement that Day Visitor Fees would be
introduced.
Much has been said and written about the Day Visitor Fees and
the NWR has met a delegation from the Tour and Safari Association
(TASA) regarding these fees.
These communications are constructively ongoing.
Since there is much confusion amongst the public and the
industry about Park Entrance Fees and Day Visitor Fees, NWR would
like to take this opportunity to clear the air about the fees.
The Ministry of Environment & Tourism (MET) charges Park
Entrance Fees.
The NWR merely acts as a collection agent on behalf of the
Ministry and these fees are paid over to MET at regular
intervals.
Day Visitor Fees have been introduced by the NWR at certain
resorts and they are as follows:
Children: .... N$ 10
Namibian Adults: .... N$ 40
Non-Namibian Adults: .... N$ 80
Allow me to sketch some of the background that necessitated the
introduction of such a fee:
Until before the introduction of the Day Visitors Fee in January
2004, the NWR did not directly generate any revenue from persons
who visited its resorts on a day-only basis although they were
utilising its services and facilities such as water, sanitation,
swimming polls, spas, etc.
The Day Visitor Fee also includes the use of the swimming pool
and thermal bath (where applicable).
In the past, many other hospitality establishments located in
the vicinity of the NWR resorts found it a useful marketing tool to
attract clients for overnight stays since they could then have
their clients drive in and out of the resorts/parks without
additional costs to themselves.
Despite providing a necessary service, the NWR did not derive
any benefits or significant business from this type of client.
As these visitors only paid the MET Park Entrance Fees, the NWR
had no way of recouping expenditure incurred by tourists not
staying in resorts.
With ever-increasing maintenance and other costs, the NWR had to
devise measures to recoup some of the costs occurring through
maintenance and the upkeep of NWR services and facilities.
Hence, the introduction of the Day Visitor Fee on 1 January 2004
at selected resorts/camps.
A Day Visitor is, for this purpose, defined as a person who
visits NWR resorts and establishments without a valid booking for
accommodation D be it a bungalow or camping site, reservations for
a braai (barbecue) area, a workshop-related function, meals,
etc.
The introduction of this fee structure is limited to places
where there is a practical usage or possibility of such usage of
NWR services and/or a facilities during day visits.
At some resorts, such as Gross Barmen, Reho Spa, Popa Falls,
Luderitz (Shark Island) and Duwisib Castle, there is only one fee
structure called a DAY VISITOR FEE.
At other establishments, such as the three Etosha resorts
(Okaukuejo, Halali & Namutoni), Waterberg, Hardap, Daan
Viljoen, Ai-Ais/Hobas and Von Bach, there is a two-tier fee
structure, namely; the MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT & TOURISMOs PARK
ENTRANCE FEE and the NWR DAY VISITOR FEE (strictly for day visitors
only - not overnight visitors).
Excluded from paying a Day Visitor Fee are clients/visitors who
have booked a bona fide meal (breakfast, lunch or dinner strictly
and not a kiosk-type of light meal) in the restaurants of our
resorts upon presentation of proof of payment for such meals.
Currently, the NWR does not charge Day Visitor Fees at Terrace
Bay, Sesriem/Sossusvlei, the Miles (Mile 14, Jakkalsputs, 72, 108,
Torra Bay), Khaudum & Sikereti and the Namib Naukluft Park.
The recent articles focused on Hobas and the journalist involved
was inexperienced, negligent or plainly vindictive when he claimed
that visitors to this popular camping site have to pay N$ 80 for
merely looking at the Fish River Canyon from the viewing point.
Had the journalist gone just a little further in his enquiries,
he would have established that a visitor paying a Day Visitor Fee
at Hobas is entitled to all the amenities and facilities of Ai-Ais
as well - without paying another cent!!!
This - putting it simply - means that the visitors to Hobas
could have driven a mere 80 or so kilometres to Ai-Ais and have
enjoyed the thermal pool with its invigorating and revitalising
mineral water, the outside pool, the tennis courts, the bar as well
as the shop and all other facilities offered to our clients at
Ai-Ais.
In fact, these visitors would even have used the opportunity to
enter the Fish River Canyon a few kilometres from the resort.
This information was, unfortunately, never communicated to the
visitors by the lodge owner for whatever ulterior motive he may
have had - neither did the journalist publish this very important
and germane information in his various reports.
Again, the NWR is not aware of the reason for this omission.
While the NWR takes cognizance of the fact that a revision of
the Day Visitor Fee may be considered, it would like to point out
that NWR management is, unfortunately, not able to change, amend,
suspend or abrogate any decision taken by the Board of
Directors.
Several solutions have already been proposed and debated, but
management does not have a mandate from the Board of Directors for
unilateral actions of this nature, and any action taken in this
regard can only be taken by the directors themselves at a properly
constituted board meeting.
The NWR trusts that this explanation will lessen the vehement
and unwarranted attacks against the organisation.
Any journalist, tour operator, lodge owner or, in fact, any
member of the public, is welcome to contact our PRO Peter Mietzner
for information on this and any other relevant issue.
His (24-hour, seven days a week) telephone number is: 081 124 00
24.
- Peter Mietzner - Acting GM: Corporate Affairs & Public
Relations - NWR
NWR is only too pleased to put the record straight as far as Day
Visitor Fees are concerned.These have indeed been introduced as
from 1 January 2004, but the industry was given ample warning. As
far back as October 2003 the first press releases went out to
inform both the public and the industry of an increase in NWR
tariffs and the announcement that Day Visitor Fees would be
introduced.Much has been said and written about the Day Visitor
Fees and the NWR has met a delegation from the Tour and Safari
Association (TASA) regarding these fees. These communications are
constructively ongoing.Since there is much confusion amongst the
public and the industry about Park Entrance Fees and Day Visitor
Fees, NWR would like to take this opportunity to clear the air
about the fees.The Ministry of Environment & Tourism (MET)
charges Park Entrance Fees. The NWR merely acts as a collection
agent on behalf of the Ministry and these fees are paid over to MET
at regular intervals.Day Visitor Fees have been introduced by the
NWR at certain resorts and they are as follows:
Children: .... N$ 10
Namibian Adults: .... N$ 40
Non-Namibian Adults: .... N$ 80Allow me to sketch some of the
background that necessitated the introduction of such a fee:Until
before the introduction of the Day Visitors Fee in January 2004,
the NWR did not directly generate any revenue from persons who
visited its resorts on a day-only basis although they were
utilising its services and facilities such as water, sanitation,
swimming polls, spas, etc.The Day Visitor Fee also includes the use
of the swimming pool and thermal bath (where applicable).In the
past, many other hospitality establishments located in the vicinity
of the NWR resorts found it a useful marketing tool to attract
clients for overnight stays since they could then have their
clients drive in and out of the resorts/parks without additional
costs to themselves.Despite providing a necessary service, the NWR
did not derive any benefits or significant business from this type
of client. As these visitors only paid the MET Park Entrance Fees,
the NWR had no way of recouping expenditure incurred by tourists
not staying in resorts. With ever-increasing maintenance and other
costs, the NWR had to devise measures to recoup some of the costs
occurring through maintenance and the upkeep of NWR services and
facilities.Hence, the introduction of the Day Visitor Fee on 1
January 2004 at selected resorts/camps.A Day Visitor is, for this
purpose, defined as a person who visits NWR resorts and
establishments without a valid booking for accommodation D be it a
bungalow or camping site, reservations for a braai (barbecue) area,
a workshop-related function, meals, etc.The introduction of this
fee structure is limited to places where there is a practical usage
or possibility of such usage of NWR services and/or a facilities
during day visits.At some resorts, such as Gross Barmen, Reho Spa,
Popa Falls, Luderitz (Shark Island) and Duwisib Castle, there is
only one fee structure called a DAY VISITOR FEE.At other
establishments, such as the three Etosha resorts (Okaukuejo, Halali
& Namutoni), Waterberg, Hardap, Daan Viljoen, Ai-Ais/Hobas and
Von Bach, there is a two-tier fee structure, namely; the MINISTRY
OF ENVIRONMENT & TOURISMOs PARK ENTRANCE FEE and the NWR DAY
VISITOR FEE (strictly for day visitors only - not overnight
visitors).Excluded from paying a Day Visitor Fee are
clients/visitors who have booked a bona fide meal (breakfast, lunch
or dinner strictly and not a kiosk-type of light meal) in the
restaurants of our resorts upon presentation of proof of payment
for such meals.Currently, the NWR does not charge Day Visitor Fees
at Terrace Bay, Sesriem/Sossusvlei, the Miles (Mile 14,
Jakkalsputs, 72, 108, Torra Bay), Khaudum & Sikereti and the
Namib Naukluft Park.The recent articles focused on Hobas and the
journalist involved was inexperienced, negligent or plainly
vindictive when he claimed that visitors to this popular camping
site have to pay N$ 80 for merely looking at the Fish River Canyon
from the viewing point.Had the journalist gone just a little
further in his enquiries, he would have established that a visitor
paying a Day Visitor Fee at Hobas is entitled to all the amenities
and facilities of Ai-Ais as well - without paying another
cent!!!This - putting it simply - means that the visitors to Hobas
could have driven a mere 80 or so kilometres to Ai-Ais and have
enjoyed the thermal pool with its invigorating and revitalising
mineral water, the outside pool, the tennis courts, the bar as well
as the shop and all other facilities offered to our clients at
Ai-Ais. In fact, these visitors would even have used the
opportunity to enter the Fish River Canyon a few kilometres from
the resort.This information was, unfortunately, never communicated
to the visitors by the lodge owner for whatever ulterior motive he
may have had - neither did the journalist publish this very
important and germane information in his various reports.
Again, the NWR is not aware of the reason for this omission.While
the NWR takes cognizance of the fact that a revision of the Day
Visitor Fee may be considered, it would like to point out that NWR
management is, unfortunately, not able to change, amend, suspend or
abrogate any decision taken by the Board of Directors. Several
solutions have already been proposed and debated, but management
does not have a mandate from the Board of Directors for unilateral
actions of this nature, and any action taken in this regard can
only be taken by the directors themselves at a properly constituted
board meeting.The NWR trusts that this explanation will lessen the
vehement and unwarranted attacks against the organisation. Any
journalist, tour operator, lodge owner or, in fact, any member of
the public, is welcome to contact our PRO Peter Mietzner for
information on this and any other relevant issue. His (24-hour,
seven days a week) telephone number is: 081 124 00 24.- Peter
Mietzner - Acting GM: Corporate Affairs & Public Relations -
NWR