Matisa lodge to share with the community

A NEW lodge set to be built in the Kunene Region will give part of its profit to members of the Sorri-Sorris conservancy.

This joint venture agreement was signed by the conservancy chairman, Endir Erwin, and the investor, Nic Pienaar, at Khorixas recently. The lodge, to be called Matisa Lodge, will have 16 beds, 10 campsites and 4 overlander sites in the southern side of the conservancy.According to Namibia’s Conservancy Report for 2007, joint ventures between privately owned lodges and conservancies were the highest contributors to communal conservancy coffers last year.Such ventures generated N$14 million for conservancies, representing 52 per cent of their income.Erwin said the agreement would mean a lot for the conservancy in terms of economic development, job creation and poverty reduction.He said the agreement would create 27 jobs along with other indirect income opportunities and a minimum fixed income of N$3,1 million for the conservancy in the next five years.Pienaar said he was happy to be part of tourism development in rural areas.Construction of the lodge will start by December and the total investment will be approximately N$3 million.A number of conservancies Namibia have joint ventures with private lodges.These include the Doro Nawas conservancy, which has teamed up with Doro Nawas camp of Wilderness Safaris, and the Uibasen conservancy, which is partnered with Twyfelfontein Lodge.The lodge, to be called Matisa Lodge, will have 16 beds, 10 campsites and 4 overlander sites in the southern side of the conservancy.According to Namibia’s Conservancy Report for 2007, joint ventures between privately owned lodges and conservancies were the highest contributors to communal conservancy coffers last year.Such ventures generated N$14 million for conservancies, representing 52 per cent of their income.Erwin said the agreement would mean a lot for the conservancy in terms of economic development, job creation and poverty reduction.He said the agreement would create 27 jobs along with other indirect income opportunities and a minimum fixed income of N$3,1 million for the conservancy in the next five years.Pienaar said he was happy to be part of tourism development in rural areas.Construction of the lodge will start by December and the total investment will be approximately N$3 million.A number of conservancies Namibia have joint ventures with private lodges.These include the Doro Nawas conservancy, which has teamed up with Doro Nawas camp of Wilderness Safaris, and the Uibasen conservancy, which is partnered with Twyfelfontein Lodge.