Scholarships for community tourism

SIX Namibians from community-based tourism enterprises have been awarded scholarships by the South African College of Tourism to do a one-year course there.

This was announced recently by the Executive Director of the Namibia Community-Based Tourism Assistance Trust (Nacobta), Olga Katjiuongua, at the trust’s annual general meeting held at Swakopmund. Katjiuongua said the college had offered them eight scholarships and six were taken.”We selected those who should benefit from the scholarships,” she said.The beneficiaries started the course in January.Eight community-based tourism entrepreneurs also benefited from a free six-week hospitality training course that was offered to Nacobta by Taj Hotels in India.This training was done last year.Nacobta supports community-based tourism enterprises by marketing tourism facilities and training those running them.Katjiuongua said that last year N$588 000 was generated from bookings at community-based tourism facilities compared to about N$540 000 in 2006.Nacobta members include community campsites, traditional villages, craft centres and small-scale tour operators and guides.Katjiuongua said long-term financial support for community-based tourism facilities remained one of the main challenges facing Nacobta.However, she said tourism in Namibia was growing fast and rural people should come up with innovative business ideas other than setting up campsites.Opening the meeting, Environment and Tourism Minister Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah said community-based tourism was a crucial vehicle for achieving rural development.She said tourism in Namibia continues to grow at a pleasing rate and her Ministry will do what it can to create an environment that allows businesses in the travel and tourism sector to flourish.Katjiuongua said the college had offered them eight scholarships and six were taken.”We selected those who should benefit from the scholarships,” she said.The beneficiaries started the course in January.Eight community-based tourism entrepreneurs also benefited from a free six-week hospitality training course that was offered to Nacobta by Taj Hotels in India.This training was done last year.Nacobta supports community-based tourism enterprises by marketing tourism facilities and training those running them.Katjiuongua said that last year N$588 000 was generated from bookings at community-based tourism facilities compared to about N$540 000 in 2006.Nacobta members include community campsites, traditional villages, craft centres and small-scale tour operators and guides.Katjiuongua said long-term financial support for community-based tourism facilities remained one of the main challenges facing Nacobta.However, she said tourism in Namibia was growing fast and rural people should come up with innovative business ideas other than setting up campsites.Opening the meeting, Environment and Tourism Minister Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah said community-based tourism was a crucial vehicle for achieving rural development.She said tourism in Namibia continues to grow at a pleasing rate and her Ministry will do what it can to create an environment that allows businesses in the travel and tourism sector to flourish.