Off-road ban could harm coastal business

BUSINESSES at the coast fear that the proposed curbs on off-road driving could be detrimental to the local economy.

The Ministry of Environment and Tourism plans to have strict regulations in place by June to prevent environmental damage caused by quad bikes and 4X4 vehicles by proclaiming certain areas along the coast as national parks. Coastal business owners fear that this could keep away South African tourists and eat into their profits.According to Swakopmund businessman Mike Thygessen, many Swakopmund businesses made large profits during the last festive season – mostly from South Africans, many of whom visit the Namibian coast to enjoy off-roading.”We must watch out what decisions we make.Many of the local businesses will suffer greatly if our neighbours were told that they could no longer come here and do off-roading,” he told The Namibian.”Hinder that, and a lot of people are going to lose out.”Those in favour of off-road restrictions don’t agree.They maintain that such measures would make tourism more selective, bringing in a higher-spending type of tourist.According to them, the coast has far more to offer than just being a venue for off-road driving.The objective of the new law is not to ban off-road activity outright, but to limit it to protect the area’s biggest assets – the beaches and dune belt.Contacted for comment the Namibian Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s Swakopmund branch said the possible impact of the new law on the local economy had not been gauged yet.Public meetings, where both sides of the matter will be discussed, are to be held at Walvis Bay today and at Swakopmund tomorrow.Coastal business owners fear that this could keep away South African tourists and eat into their profits.According to Swakopmund businessman Mike Thygessen, many Swakopmund businesses made large profits during the last festive season – mostly from South Africans, many of whom visit the Namibian coast to enjoy off-roading.”We must watch out what decisions we make.Many of the local businesses will suffer greatly if our neighbours were told that they could no longer come here and do off-roading,” he told The Namibian.”Hinder that, and a lot of people are going to lose out.”Those in favour of off-road restrictions don’t agree.They maintain that such measures would make tourism more selective, bringing in a higher-spending type of tourist.According to them, the coast has far more to offer than just being a venue for off-road driving.The objective of the new law is not to ban off-road activity outright, but to limit it to protect the area’s biggest assets – the beaches and dune belt.Contacted for comment the Namibian Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s Swakopmund branch said the possible impact of the new law on the local economy had not been gauged yet.Public meetings, where both sides of the matter will be discussed, are to be held at Walvis Bay today and at Swakopmund tomorrow.