20 November 2008
NINE small firms have an opportunity to showcase their goods and services at a tourism congress this week.
The Hospitality Association of Namibia (HAN), will be holding its 21st annual congress in Windhoek on Thursday and Friday.
Delegates from all over the country are expected to attend the prestigious two-day event.
The presence of small firms at the event is an initiative of Christie Benade, a past president of the Namibia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NCCI) and founder and chief executive of Lake Oanob Resort outside Rehoboth.
The nine small and medium enterprises (SMEs) will exhibit an array of goods and services aimed at the hospitality and tourism sector.
Earlier this year Benade asked HAN's leadership to demonstrate support for the SME sector by allocating a stand to SMEs Compete at no charge.
"The nine SMEs are all clients and routinely receive business capacity building support from SMEs Compete," says SMEs Compete's Ninah Liyeke.
"They are all excited about having this chance to exhibit at such a prestigious event," adds her colleague Lars Roemheld.
The two youngsters, Liyeke and Roemheld, planned, designed and will manage the stand for the duration of the event.
Exhibitors on SMEs Compete's stand include two producers of leather goods, Leather Connection and Kaitoo Leather, two retailers of gifts and curios, Miracle Arts & Crafts and Josephine's Leather, a firm that mines decorative stones, GFG Slasto, one that produces batik products, Kenesi Ethnic Designs, a transport and passenger transfer service provider, Laffix, another engaged in provision of tourism services, Wanderzone Tours & Backpackers, and an upcoming and award winning artist, Martin Bosman.
"HAN is promoting new enterprises with the ability to service the lucrative tourism and hospitality sectors, and simultaneously encouraging small firms to join- and benefit from services provided by it, as a representative body," says SMEs Compete's Danny Meyer.
"This investment in the future is well timed to coincide with HAN's coming of age," adds Meyer.
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