By Sharoldine Bock
The operators met with ministry officials last week at the
Kuisebmond municipal chambers to discuss the issue.
According to ministry spokesperson Romeo Muyunda, the fees
were increased this year to be on par with the rest of the southern African
region.
"Namibia's rates are very low compared to the rest of
the region. Also, funding from these fees should be used to help improve parks
and wildlife management ... for the development of national parks such as the
Etosha National Park, which needs a fence," Muyunda said at the meeting.
He said the last park fee increase was about 10 years ago.
Fees have this year increased from N$10 to N$50 for
Namibians, and from N$30 to N$50 for Southern African Development Community
(SADC) citizens.
Vehicles are now charged an entry fee of N$50 to national
parks, and international visitors will pay N$100.
Kenneth Kapitako, the owner of Sandwich Dune Tours and
Safari, at the meeting said he has written to the ministry in April requesting
them to reserve the new park fees for a minimum of 12 months in the hope that
the international market would reopen.
"A 400% increase in fees is high. This will obviously
discourage locals from visiting the parks, and will also make local tour
packages unaffordable," he said.
He also requested that the ministry consider reducing park
fees during the low season.
Christof Marais from Levo Tours at Walvis Bay said he can
barely stay afloat.
Marais had to close office in September last year as the
pandemic affected his income, he is now operating from home.
He said the sudden fee increase will affect their operations
as clients have made their 2021/22 bookings in advance.
He asked the ministry to give tour operators a six-month
grace period to inform their international agencies on the price increase and
to requote them.
"The park fees are so high, we obviously underquoted
them . . . It is not worth giving them tours at that price," Marais said.
Manie le Roux, a control warden at the ministry, said a
portion of the increased park fees would go towards conservation.
"That money can be accessed by parks' management,"
he said