By: Gerhard Van Der Merwe, Property Development Specialist & Lawyer | Passionate about Namibian Tourism
So, when the Ministry decided to limit the 5km stretch between the Sossusvlei and Deadvlei parking areas to a single concessionaire, the tourism industry got a little concerned.
And rightly so – I’d argue that the Ministry overreacted a little bit.
However, it’s not as though I’m unsympathetic to their reasons behind limiting access to Sossusvlei – we’ve all seen at least one cowboy in a Hilux go off-roading where they shouldn’t or spent a moment picking bottles of Tafel out of the sand.
I get it, we’ve got to protect the environment, manage access responsibly, and even generate a little state revenue while we’re at it, but monopolies are inefficient tools for this job. If we want to keep prices honest, enable repeat tourism, and protect the environment, we need well-regulated competition.
Concentrating access in one operator and not regulating their pricing hands them the keys to one of our most iconic natural destinations while leaving small operators, local guides, and family businesses exposed.
Here’s my prediction for what will actually work: Transparent, competitively tendered access agreements with regulated pricing and clear environmental conditions.
Preferential pricing or licencing concessions for small, local, and youth operators, and consistent monitoring of adherence to environmental mandates.
Other countries manage world-class natural heritage this way. We can too.
Gerhard Van Der Merwe is a Property Development Specialist & Lawyer
