MARIA SHAANIKAECO award Namibia programme coordinator Hazel Milne announced the ‘responsible tourism’ award finalists last week, saying the aim was to give them exposure prior to the tourism expo.
The winner will be announced on 5 June 2019 at the expo.
Speaking at a media briefing held on Friday in Windhoek, Milne said they received nine entries, and selected three tour operators and three accommodation establishments as finalists.
The finalists are Wolweldans Collection (Dune Camp), Wilderness Safaris Desert Rhino Camp and Gondwana Kalahari Anib Lodge in the accommodation establishments category; while in the tour operators’ category, there is Pack Safari, Sense of Africa (tourvest) and Wild Dog Safaris.
The finalists are being assessed based on the theme of the upcoming expo, which is ‘waste management and recycling’.
“We look at what they are doing at their operations, and ask them specific questions about recycling and waste management in Namibia to see if they really have the relevant knowledge,” Milne said.
Speaking at the same platform, Namibia Media Holdings public relations executive Maggy Mbako said the ‘responsible tourism’ award is a project meant to create a platform that recognises tour operators and accommodation establishments which stand out in terms of community involvement, knowing how to keep the environment clean, and emphasising the importance of tourism to the economy.
“We don’t market destinations or own tourism products, but we create platforms where the tourism sector can come together, exchange ideas and learn from one another,” she stated.
She added that the upcoming expo is aimed to grow tourism within and to Namibia.
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