Auleria Wakudumo
The Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism (MEFT) has defended its decision to restrict empty game-viewing vehicles from entering Etosha National Park, saying the directive is a long-standing management measure aimed at enforcing conservation laws and protecting the integrity of one of Namibia's premier tourism destinations.
The ministry's response follows a media statement issued by a group of legally registered Namibian tour operators and professional guides, who claimed the restrictions have affected their businesses by preventing them from entering the park with empty vehicles to collect or drop off clients who have already booked guiding services.
The operators argued that the measures have resulted in lost bookings, reduced income and fewer employment opportunities for local guides and small tourism enterprises.
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They also questioned the legal basis for the restrictions. Operators said no law had been presented to them prohibiting registered operators from entering the park with empty vehicles while complying with park regulations and paying the required entrance fees.
However, MEFT spokesperson Vilho Angula said the directive was issued as part of the ministry's management responsibilities over Etosha National Park as a protected area.
"The Ministry issued that directive as a management undertaking of Etosha as a protected area," Angula said.
He explained that the measure followed observations of some tour operators violating provisions of the Nature Conservation Ordinance No. 4 of 1975, as amended.
Angula clarified that the restriction on empty game-viewing vehicles was introduced to ensure adherence to the law and to encourage operators to plan their activities accordingly so they would not be negatively affected.
He emphasised that Etosha National Park should not be viewed as a transit route or public settlement.
"The Ministry wishes to stress that Etosha National Park is a protected area, not a transit town or settlement where people can just drive through and dwell as they wish," he said.
Angula added that while the ministry appreciates the important contribution of the tourism industry to Namibia's economy, it also has a responsibility to safeguard the sector by ensuring tourism activities are conducted in an orderly manner and in accordance with existing legal frameworks.
He appealed to tour operators to work with the ministry in maintaining order within the park while respecting conservation laws that protect Namibia's internationally recognised wildlife resources.
The spokesperson dismissed suggestions that the directive was a new policy.
He said similar instructions had previously been issued in 2018 and again in 2021 after authorities observed what he described as gross violations of the Nature Conservation Ordinance regulations.
He cited Regulation 12 of the ordinance, which states that visitors may only enter the park for the purpose for which permission was granted.
"For example, if you were granted permission to transit, you cannot go and pick up clients," Angula explained.
He also referred to Regulation 21, which prohibits visitors from entering residential areas occupied by park employees.
According to him, authorities observed certain tour guides overnighting in staff quarters inside the park, a practice the ministry believes compromises the safety and security of the protected area.
He said park management had met with some tour operators before issuing the latest directive as a gesture of good faith, although consultation was not necessarily required where the law clearly prescribes what should be done.
Angula warned that allowing unrestricted access for empty game-viewing vehicles could undermine effective park management and create operational challenges.
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"Allowing unfettered access by empty game-viewing vehicles will be a precursor to turning our tourism activities within Etosha into chaos and also lowering standards of the very tourism industry we claim to protect," he said.
In their media statement seen by this publication, tour operators maintained that their businesses are being unfairly affected despite operating legally. They argued that their clients independently book accommodation inside the park and separately arrange guiding services, meaning they are not taking business away from Namibia Wildlife Resorts (NWR).
The operators further said guiding services and accommodation are separate tourism products that complement each other and both contribute to the country's tourism economy.
They also called on the ministry to publicly provide the legal basis for the restrictions if one exists or alternatively review the directive if no such legal authority applies.
