Andreas CierpkaThemenstarter2’732 Beiträge · seit 200625. Okt. 2007 · http://www.namibian.com.na/2007/October/national/07C4764E13.html
BRIGITTE WEIDLICH and ADAM HARTMAN
A GROUP of foreign tourists who visited the Namutoni resort in the Etosha National Park last Thursday were told to fork out N$100 each to sit on a new wooden platform at the old fortress to watch game at the waterhole.
Namibia Wildlife Resorts (NWR) had not given any advance notice of the new 'viewing fee', tourism operators say.
A tour guide who accompanied the group told The Namibian that the tourists were confronted by an NWR official, who closed the entrance gate to prevent the group from leaving Namutoni without paying.
The tourists eventually collected N$300 among themselves to pay to the official, the tour guide said.
"This is not how the tourism industry works," he said.
"Overseas tourists usually book their trips to Namibia six and even 12 months in advance and we calculate the cost of the trip according to information we have at hand.
More and more tourists prefer to overnight at a lodge outside Etosha due to the deteriorating state of accommodation over the past years in Etosha and come in as day visitors.
"If we now have to add N$100 per tourist just for viewing from the new wooden deck, we make losses."
The guide did not want his name published, saying he feared "problems from the NWR and Government".
When approached for comment, NRW's Manager for Strategic Marketing, Sebulon Chicalu, acknowledged the incident.
He said it happened on the same day that the NWR sent out notices to the tourism industry about the operational changes at Namutoni.
He told The Namibian that the viewing platform was an exclusive privilege for overnight visitors, although day visitors could use it at a fee.
According to Chicalu, staff members at the entrance notified the tourists of the fee, but they allegedly refused to pay and forced their way up to the platform.
The supervisor was called to address the situation, and ordered the gates to be closed to detain the bus, he said.
He said a quarrel broke out between the tour guide and the supervisor, which prompted three of the tourists to go and pay their N$100.
"The others did not pay, but we did not want to inconvenience our visitors due to an argument with the tour guide, so we let them go.
We know the company, and we will therefore address the issue on that level," Chicalu said.
Another issue that has angered tourists and the tourism sector is the closure of the tower at Namutoni for viewing.
The platform on the tower was a special highlight for visitors, giving a 360-degree view of the area.
After the recently completed renovations at the Namutoni fort, which is a national monument, the museum has been relocated from the tower.
In a statement released at the end of last week, NWR announced that the tower had been converted into office space and there was no access for visitors.
BRIGITTE WEIDLICH and ADAM HARTMAN
A GROUP of foreign tourists who visited the Namutoni resort in the Etosha National Park last Thursday were told to fork out N$100 each to sit on a new wooden platform at the old fortress to watch game at the waterhole.
Namibia Wildlife Resorts (NWR) had not given any advance notice of the new 'viewing fee', tourism operators say.
A tour guide who accompanied the group told The Namibian that the tourists were confronted by an NWR official, who closed the entrance gate to prevent the group from leaving Namutoni without paying.
The tourists eventually collected N$300 among themselves to pay to the official, the tour guide said.
"This is not how the tourism industry works," he said.
"Overseas tourists usually book their trips to Namibia six and even 12 months in advance and we calculate the cost of the trip according to information we have at hand.
More and more tourists prefer to overnight at a lodge outside Etosha due to the deteriorating state of accommodation over the past years in Etosha and come in as day visitors.
"If we now have to add N$100 per tourist just for viewing from the new wooden deck, we make losses."
The guide did not want his name published, saying he feared "problems from the NWR and Government".
When approached for comment, NRW's Manager for Strategic Marketing, Sebulon Chicalu, acknowledged the incident.
He said it happened on the same day that the NWR sent out notices to the tourism industry about the operational changes at Namutoni.
He told The Namibian that the viewing platform was an exclusive privilege for overnight visitors, although day visitors could use it at a fee.
According to Chicalu, staff members at the entrance notified the tourists of the fee, but they allegedly refused to pay and forced their way up to the platform.
The supervisor was called to address the situation, and ordered the gates to be closed to detain the bus, he said.
He said a quarrel broke out between the tour guide and the supervisor, which prompted three of the tourists to go and pay their N$100.
"The others did not pay, but we did not want to inconvenience our visitors due to an argument with the tour guide, so we let them go.
We know the company, and we will therefore address the issue on that level," Chicalu said.
Another issue that has angered tourists and the tourism sector is the closure of the tower at Namutoni for viewing.
The platform on the tower was a special highlight for visitors, giving a 360-degree view of the area.
After the recently completed renovations at the Namutoni fort, which is a national monument, the museum has been relocated from the tower.
In a statement released at the end of last week, NWR announced that the tower had been converted into office space and there was no access for visitors.
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