New tourism company focuses on heritage

IN a bold move in such economically turbulent times and with tourist numbers set to decline due to the credit crunch, a new Namibian-owned tourism company was launched on Friday.

• THORSTEN SCHIER
Heritage Tours and Travel will focus on ‘cultural, historical and community-based tourism’, according to owner Unotjari Kameeta.
The company has been in operation since May last year and has since established links with most major players in the industry such as Air Namibia and Sky Travel.
Kameeta, who is the daughter of well-known cleric Dr Zephania Kameeta, has extensive experience in the tourism sector, having worked for Air Namibia and Avis Rent-a-Car before starting Heritage Travel and Tours.
Kameeta said an example of Heritage’s cultural tourism is the Katutura Tour.
Starting off at Heroes’ Acre before moving on to the Old Location cemetery in Hochland Park, the tour also includes a visit to the Tanidare empowerment centre and ends with a ‘delicious smiley’ at the Otjikaendu Den.
Speaking at the launch, the Chief Executive Officer of the Namibian Tourism Board (NTB), Digu //Naobeb, said the Board would support businesses such as Heritage wholeheartedly because there is ‘a lack… of broad-based participation’ in the tourism sector.
He said the NTB is currently developing a Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) support policy, which would allow emerging entrepreneurs to get exposure through the NTB.
He said there was a cloud currently hanging over BEE tourism entrepreneurs, as there had been bad experiences in the past.
Naobeb said three BEE companies that the NTB had supported with N$1 million to render services to tourists never did so.
He said businesses like Heritage could ‘prove the disbelievers wrong’.
On the future of tourism in Namibia, Naobeb said even though tourist numbers are set to decline by about 5 per cent this year, tourism is still one of the most important sectors for employment.
According to Naobeb, tourism guarantees employment as it requires a ‘human touch’ which could never be offered by machines.