Tourism price-hike shocks

LOCAL resorts belonging to the Government, like the world-famous Etosha National Park and the ancient sand dunes of Sossusvlei, will become unaffordable for most Namibians on the first of November, when prices will increase threefold.

Namibia Wildlife Resorts (NWR) distributed its new list of official prices – or rack rates, as they are known in the tourism sector – to tour operators on Friday. At the most popular resort in Etosha, Okaukuejo, the few bungalows directly at the waterhole presently cost N$1 400 a night and accommodate four adults.They are undergoing refurbishing and from November, they will cost N$1 500 a night but will only be two-bed bungalows.If one person wants to stay in the luxury bungalow, N$3 000 must be forked out.The new prices include breakfast, but many tourists will miss breakfast since they usually go on game drives at sunrise.Breakfast is only served until 09h00, and most tourists return from their early drives much later.A standard double room with two beds at Okaukuejo now costs N$500 a night – N$250 per person.From November, it will cost N$1 300, or N$650 per person.The single rate will be N$800.The campsite at Okaukuejo, which is in a dilapidated state, presently costs N$100 per camping spot per day, plus N$50 a day per adult and N$25 per child.A family of two adults with two children thus pays N$250 a day for camping.From November, it will cost the same family double, namely N$500.Under the new price structure, children under the age of six stay for free and children between six and 12 only pay 50 per cent.Although Namibians receive 25 per cent discount at all 23 Government resorts, the new rack rates will make them unaffordable for the majority of locals.A standard four-bed chalet at the Hardap Dam resort, which now costs N$400 a night or N$100 per adult, will in future cost N$400 per person, or N$1 600 per chalet for one night.A single person will have to pay N$600 per night.The new prices will include breakfast.At Okaukuejo, Halali and Namutoni most existing braai facilities will be removed.Barbeques will only be allowed at the campsite, but only if one is booked in as a camper.”We are shocked,” a tour operator told The Namibian yesterday.”In tourism the packages offered are on a fixed price.If we offer a ten-day tour for two people through Namibia to tourists from abroad, the price they pay for the tour must remain the same for 12 months,” said the operator, who spoke on condition of anonymity.”We cannot slap the price increases for Etosha for instance on the tourists coming from November onwards.”We can’t tell them they now suddenly must pay N$6 000 extra for example.They booked the tour long in advance and already paid for it.These extra costs must be borne by us, the operators, so we will make heavy losses.”The new price structure of the NWR also appears to be a slap in the face of Namibians for whom Etosha, Naukluft or Sesriem will be out of reach.Barely last week the tourism regulatory body, the Namibia Tourism Board (NTB), published a study on how well Namibia’s tourism sector is catering for local tourists.The study concluded that the sector was neglecting domestic tourists badly due to high prices for accommodation, food and services.On top of that, most locals were treated with less respect than tourists from abroad, the study found.”If the NTB and service providers do not fix this problem throughout Namibia, domestic tourism will diminish and the (local) market will cease,” the experts stated.The NTB does not regulate the tariffs of NWR.At the most popular resort in Etosha, Okaukuejo, the few bungalows directly at the waterhole presently cost N$1 400 a night and accommodate four adults.They are undergoing refurbishing and from November, they will cost N$1 500 a night but will only be two-bed bungalows.If one person wants to stay in the luxury bungalow, N$3 000 must be forked out.The new prices include breakfast, but many tourists will miss breakfast since they usually go on game drives at sunrise.Breakfast is only served until 09h00, and most tourists return from their early drives much later. A standard double room with two beds at Okaukuejo now costs N$500 a night – N$250 per person.From November, it will cost N$1 300, or N$650 per person.The single rate will be N$800.The campsite at Okaukuejo, which is in a dilapidated state, presently costs N$100 per camping spot per day, plus N$50 a day per adult and N$25 per child.A family of two adults with two children thus pays N$250 a day for camping.From November, it will cost the same family double, namely N$500.Under the new price structure, children under the age of six stay for free and children between six and 12 only pay 50 per cent.Although Namibians receive 25 per cent discount at all 23 Government resorts, the new rack rates will make them unaffordable for the majority of locals.A standard four-bed chalet at the Hardap Dam resort, which now costs N$400 a night or N$100 per adult, will in future cost N$400 per person, or N$1 600 per chalet for one night.A single person will have to pay N$600 per night.The new prices will include breakfast.At Okaukuejo, Halali and Namutoni most existing braai facilities will be removed.Barbeques will only be allowed at the campsite, but only if one is booked in as a camper.”We are shocked,” a tour operator told The Namibian yesterday.”In tourism the packages offered are on a fixed price.If we offer a ten-day tour for two people through Namibia to tourists from abroad, the price they pay for the tour must remain the same for 12 months,” said the operator, who spoke on condition of anonymity.”We cannot slap the price increases for Etosha for instance on the tourists coming from November onwards.”We can’t tell them they now suddenly must pay N$6 000 extra for example.They booked the tour long in advance and already paid for it.These extra costs must be borne by us, the operators, so we will make heavy losses.”The new price structure of the NWR also appears to be a slap in the face of Namibians for whom Etosha, Naukluft or Sesriem will be out of reach.Barely last week the tourism regulatory body, the Namibia Tourism Board (NTB), published a study on how well Namibia’s tourism sector is catering for local tourists.The study concluded that the sector was neglecting domestic tourists badly due to high prices for accommodation, food and services.On top of that, most locals were treated with less respect than tourists from abroad, the study found.”If the NTB and service providers do not fix this problem throughout Namibia, domestic tourism will diminish and the (local) market will cease,” the experts stated.The NTB does not regulate the tariffs of NWR.