The Namibia Tourism Board (NTB) recently presented the tourism industry with a draft of its new tour guide regulations, which are intended to enhance the standards of Namibia’s tourism product.
According to the NTB only 100 of the 400 tour guides operating in the country are sufficiently qualified. To root out the unqualified and illegal vendors, the NTB said it was working closely with law enforcement agencies. Heavy penalties, ranging from fines to prison sentences, will be introduced for major contravention, such as operating without registration, and engaging in unethical business conduct by not delivering services paid for by clients.
At the Annual General Meeting of the Hospitality Association of Namibia, Digu Naobeb, NTB CEO, said the regulation of the tourism industry was vitally important, particularly because of the strict consumer protection laws in Namibia’s main source markets. “This is especially important to Namibia for the European market, which has stringent EU travel laws.”
