Skills shortage hampering tourism

INVESTORS in the tourism industry are consistently encountering a shortage of management and service skills in Namibia to meet the demands of the industry.

This is one of the findings contained in the Namibia Tourism Investor Roadmap report, which was released in Windhoek yesterday. According to the report, this was one of the barriers hampering the country’s tourism industry.These skills, says the report, have to be partially acquired from other countries.But while they are needed, investors again find it difficult to obtain work permits for themselves and their employees, which becomes a major obstacle to business efficiency.The report said tourism investors were also finding it difficult in getting access to land though lease or purchase, while lack of national guidance for tourism development was another problem.The report was launched by Environment and Tourism Minister Willem Konjore, who said its findings and recommendation would guide the Government and affected institutions to overcome the barriers facing investors in the tourism sector.But despite these barriers, said Konjore, Namibia compared relatively well for potential investors based on comparative indexes of the World Bank, United Nations and other private data sources.”The Tourism Investor Roadmap is a diagnostic study that assesses the processes and procedures that an investor has to go through to register, set up and operate a business in the tourism sector,” said Konjore.He said tourism couldn’t be overlooked, as it was one of the fastest growing industries in Namibia.Since Independence, tourist arrivals in Namibia have grown from about 255 000 in 1993 to 778 000 in 2005, a growth of nearly 200 per cent.It is now the fourth largest contributor to GDP, after mining, fisheries and agriculture.Trade and Industry Minister Immanuel Ngatjizeko said through tourism Namibia has a chance to attract Foreign Direct Investment, as some tourists might discover opportunities for investment.He said in an effort to attract investors to the country, his Ministry was drafting a Foreign Investment Act that would address the shortcomings in the current Act.Ngatjizeko said Namibia must create facilities of the highest class to attract high-value tourists.A current lack of top-class facilities such as five-star hotels was contributing to a low occupancy rate, he said.”I am told that we are not in a position to host big international gatherings,” he said.Ngatjizeko added that his Ministry had earmarked N$1 million for the financing of a turnaround strategy for Namibia Wildlife Resorts.The Namibia Tourism Investor Roadmap was part of a study on the general investment climate in Namibia, which was conducted by the USAID-funded Trade Hub based in Gaborone, Botswana, at the request of the Ministry of Trade and Industry and the Namibia Investment Centre.When the findings of the main study were presented last year, it was felt that the tourism had not been adequately covered.Two consultants were then brought in to collect data and make an analysis of the industry, which they did in February and March this year.The Trade Hub provides technical assistance and support to countries in Southern Africa in three distinct but inter-related areas: trade facilitation and capacity building, trade competitiveness and the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA).According to the report, this was one of the barriers hampering the country’s tourism industry.These skills, says the report, have to be partially acquired from other countries.But while they are needed, investors again find it difficult to obtain work permits for themselves and their employees, which becomes a major obstacle to business efficiency.The report said tourism investors were also finding it difficult in getting access to land though lease or purchase, while lack of national guidance for tourism development was another problem. The report was launched by Environment and Tourism Minister Willem Konjore, who said its findings and recommendation would guide the Government and affected institutions to overcome the barriers facing investors in the tourism sector.But despite these barriers, said Konjore, Namibia compared relatively well for potential investors based on comparative indexes of the World Bank, United Nations and other private data sources.”The Tourism Investor Roadmap is a diagnostic study that assesses the processes and procedures that an investor has to go through to register, set up and operate a business in the tourism sector,” said Konjore.He said tourism couldn’t be overlooked, as it was one of the fastest growing industries in Namibia.Since Independence, tourist arrivals in Namibia have grown from about 255 000 in 1993 to 778 000 in 2005, a growth of nearly 200 per cent.It is now the fourth largest contributor to GDP, after mining, fisheries and agriculture.Trade and Industry Minister Immanuel Ngatjizeko said through tourism Namibia has a chance to attract Foreign Direct Investment, as some tourists might discover opportunities for investment.He said in an effort to attract investors to the country, his Ministry was drafting a Foreign Investment Act that would address the shortcomings in the current Act.Ngatjizeko said Namibia must create facilities of the highest class to attract high-value tourists.A current lack of top-class facilities such as five-star hotels was contributing to a low occupancy rate, he said.”I am told that we are not in a position to host big international gatherings,” he said.Ngatjizeko added that his Ministry had earmarked N$1 million for the financing of a turnaround strategy for Namibia Wildlife Resorts.The Namibia Tourism Investor Roadmap was part of a study on the general investment climate in Namibia, which was conducted by the USAID-funded Trade Hub based in Gaborone, Botswana, at the request of the Ministry of Trade and Industry and the Namibia Investment Centre.When the findings of the main study were presented last year, it was felt that the tourism had not been adequately covered.Two consultants were then brought in to collect data and make an analysis of the industry, which they did in February and March this year.The Trade Hub provides technical assistance and support to countries in Southern Africa in three distinct but inter-related areas: trade facilitation and capacity building, trade competitiveness and the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA).