Survey to establish tourism’s real revenue
Jemimah NdebeleWindhoek
The Federation of Namibian Tourism Associations (Fenata) aims to establish the real revenue brought into Namibia by tourism enterprises through credible statistics. It has therefore commissioned an independent body which can offer complete confidentiality in the process to collate the information required.
The consultants selected are from Simonis Storm, who will now need to create a system that allows the confidential collection of relevant information from all sectors of the industry in a form that allows the data to be used in future discussions with government agencies and other stakeholders.
According to the federation, it has become increasingly clear that the credibility of the tourism industry is suffering from the fact that there are no reliable statistics that refer to the real revenue brought into the country by tourism enterprises.
“Government figures for tourism are based on the revenue from just hotels and restaurants and this goes some way towards explaining why it is hard to get some of the stakeholders we deal with to take the industry as seriously as we believe they should.”
Current developments
In addition, Fenata said there are several current developments - including a project to try to persuade more airlines to include Namibia in their schedules in order to increase the number of visitors who can get here - that desperately need valid statistics.
All members of Fenata who act as accommodation providers, tour operators, car rental companies, air charter companies, professional hunting guides and travel agencies or tour facilitators are therefore urged to complete the relevant questionnaire.
“There is a limited time frame within which this information is needed, and it is essential that as many operators as possible meet this deadline,” the federation said.
The Federation of Namibian Tourism Associations (Fenata) aims to establish the real revenue brought into Namibia by tourism enterprises through credible statistics. It has therefore commissioned an independent body which can offer complete confidentiality in the process to collate the information required.
The consultants selected are from Simonis Storm, who will now need to create a system that allows the confidential collection of relevant information from all sectors of the industry in a form that allows the data to be used in future discussions with government agencies and other stakeholders.
According to the federation, it has become increasingly clear that the credibility of the tourism industry is suffering from the fact that there are no reliable statistics that refer to the real revenue brought into the country by tourism enterprises.
“Government figures for tourism are based on the revenue from just hotels and restaurants and this goes some way towards explaining why it is hard to get some of the stakeholders we deal with to take the industry as seriously as we believe they should.”
Current developments
In addition, Fenata said there are several current developments - including a project to try to persuade more airlines to include Namibia in their schedules in order to increase the number of visitors who can get here - that desperately need valid statistics.
All members of Fenata who act as accommodation providers, tour operators, car rental companies, air charter companies, professional hunting guides and travel agencies or tour facilitators are therefore urged to complete the relevant questionnaire.
“There is a limited time frame within which this information is needed, and it is essential that as many operators as possible meet this deadline,” the federation said.
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