Paradise at risk
The red cup is the last to be put in the dish washer. It is dusty, dirty, greasy, has dried up coffee on the bottom and creates a smoky stench. After another four-day camping trip to the Brandberg area in Damaraland, this old red cup is a reminder of some magnificent off-road adventures in the north western part of Namibia.
For most people, Damaraland represents love at first sight. Dry, yet green rivers, run through the rocky desert area that is home to, amongst others, rhino, oryx, springbuck, giraffe, hyena, lion and the famous desert-dwelling elephant. This harsh environment attracts hundreds of tourists each year, some in search of the elephants, others in search of a camping experience, but all in search of an off-road adventure. Damaraland offers some challenging routes, deep sand, mud or rocky hills ? this is a 4x4 paradise. Many red cups have been to this place, accompanying camping and off-road enthusiasts.
However, all is not well in Namibia?s north west. "I believe the biggest problem in mass tourism is not the effect it has on the animals, but on the environment itself. The infrastructure in the north west can't support large numbers of people and consequently waste produced by large numbers of people is becoming a serious problem. In addition, most of the tourists who drive 4x4s in the north west have no idea how to drive and thus make multiple paths everywhere they go, to avoid poor road conditions and mistakes of other drivers", says Dr. Keith Leggett, who has been studying the desert-dwelling elephant for the past seven years.
Dieter Risser from Ondjamba Safaris in Swakopmund agrees. He initiated discussion forums in newspapers last year concerning mass tourism in Damaraland and Kaokoveld. "Various companies are organising tours into Kaokoveld with a large fleet of cars driven by inexperienced drivers. These companies sit in their offices in Windhoek, South Africa or Italy and have never visited these beautiful areas in Namibia themselves. Therefore, they do not know what damage they are causing. South African companies advertise guided safaris with six to ten cars in convoy. These days many Italians are also travelling in large convoys with a local guide into areas I have never seen them in before. Next year when they return, they penetrate these areas even further. Who is marketing such tours?" complains Risser to "Tourismus Namibia". According to him, the convoys should never be bigger than four to five cars, to minimise the damage to the environment. Risser has been travelling to the north west for many years.
Uncontrolled tourism and especially management of tourism in the north western areas of Namibia was also already addressed in 1998 when various stakeholders, including conservancies, Traditional Authorities, the Ministry of Environment and Tourism (MET), Regional Councils, NGO?s and the private sector, met to discuss the first phase of the "North-West Tourism Master Plan". The first phase dealt with the issue of control as such and also provided recommendations. The second phase (2001) identified these issues again and mechanisms were sought to address them. "We need to identify certain hotspots in the north west, like the Brandberg area. Then we need to discuss the management of these areas and the actual enforcement and legislation", explains Andee Davidson, Business and Institutional Support Advisor of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) in Windhoek, who was involved in the design of this Tourism Plan. According to Davidson, conservancies should be the most important partner in the process of developing tourism in Damaraland and Kaokoveld. However, he also points out that these conservancies need to be given additional rights in order to enforce the Plan.
Both Davidson and Niseth van der Meulen of Nacobta (Namibian Community Based Tourism Association) agree that the local communities are increasingly frustrated due to the many visitors, who are using and even harming this area, without communities benefiting from these safaris.
Some of the recommendations made in the Tourism Plan include: that additional legislation be given to the conservancies to allow the control of tourism and freedom of movement by tourists, which should be addressed and implemented as a matter of urgency; that a brochure be compiled and distributed at information centres and main access roads that explains ethical tourism codes; integrated tourism development and management plans on conservancy level should be prepared as a matter of urgency; that conservancies and the local communities should be empowered to manage tourism at a local level; that the establishment of up-market and mid-market lodges be promoted since these provided significantly greater economic returns to the community and regional economy; that tourists be educated and informed about the region?s environmental and social fragility.
"Tourists should really make use of the information centres, like the one in Uis. They should stay on the roads, stay in (Nacobta?s) camps and should watch each other to identify the culprits", says Van der Meulen. Nacobta has been closely involved in this process. Davidson adds: "Certain (community owned) routes, both for 4x4s and 4x2s that offer all necessary travel facilities should be promoted. People should be given information on where they could go and where they should not go and why. We must increase awareness amongst tourists".
One of the other key issues the private sector emphasised was the need for exclusive access to certain areas, in order to provide the environment required for high-paying guests. But, the WWF Advisor emphasises, the status of conservancies has to be improved first and the Directorate of Tourism should lead the whole process.
Identifying a problem like mass- or uncontrolled tourism is one thing. Finding a solution is another. "I would like to see some controlling measures in place where it would be possible to reprimand those individuals who misbehave, but I have a moral objection to limiting access to north west", is the opinion of elephant-researcher Leggett, while Tommy Hall, former MET employee, now lecturer of the NATH course on elephant behaviour says that he would like to see the western area of former Damaraland and Kaokoveld be put under protection similar to that of a National Park. Tour operator Dieter Risser suggested that main access roads to the area should be controlled by locals.
Pressing the On-button of the dishwasher this time is an almost heartbreaking experience, as the future of unguided safaris in the north west is uncertain. Will this red cup ever travel down the Ugab River, unguided, in search of the desert-dwelling giants? "[al]though very beneficial in the short term, unplanned tourism will be detrimental to the long term sustainability of tourism in the north west" (North-West Tourism Plan). Sad but true.
What is your opinion on this issue? Write to: [email protected] or 061-220225 (fax)
For most people, Damaraland represents love at first sight. Dry, yet green rivers, run through the rocky desert area that is home to, amongst others, rhino, oryx, springbuck, giraffe, hyena, lion and the famous desert-dwelling elephant. This harsh environment attracts hundreds of tourists each year, some in search of the elephants, others in search of a camping experience, but all in search of an off-road adventure. Damaraland offers some challenging routes, deep sand, mud or rocky hills ? this is a 4x4 paradise. Many red cups have been to this place, accompanying camping and off-road enthusiasts.
However, all is not well in Namibia?s north west. "I believe the biggest problem in mass tourism is not the effect it has on the animals, but on the environment itself. The infrastructure in the north west can't support large numbers of people and consequently waste produced by large numbers of people is becoming a serious problem. In addition, most of the tourists who drive 4x4s in the north west have no idea how to drive and thus make multiple paths everywhere they go, to avoid poor road conditions and mistakes of other drivers", says Dr. Keith Leggett, who has been studying the desert-dwelling elephant for the past seven years.
Dieter Risser from Ondjamba Safaris in Swakopmund agrees. He initiated discussion forums in newspapers last year concerning mass tourism in Damaraland and Kaokoveld. "Various companies are organising tours into Kaokoveld with a large fleet of cars driven by inexperienced drivers. These companies sit in their offices in Windhoek, South Africa or Italy and have never visited these beautiful areas in Namibia themselves. Therefore, they do not know what damage they are causing. South African companies advertise guided safaris with six to ten cars in convoy. These days many Italians are also travelling in large convoys with a local guide into areas I have never seen them in before. Next year when they return, they penetrate these areas even further. Who is marketing such tours?" complains Risser to "Tourismus Namibia". According to him, the convoys should never be bigger than four to five cars, to minimise the damage to the environment. Risser has been travelling to the north west for many years.
Uncontrolled tourism and especially management of tourism in the north western areas of Namibia was also already addressed in 1998 when various stakeholders, including conservancies, Traditional Authorities, the Ministry of Environment and Tourism (MET), Regional Councils, NGO?s and the private sector, met to discuss the first phase of the "North-West Tourism Master Plan". The first phase dealt with the issue of control as such and also provided recommendations. The second phase (2001) identified these issues again and mechanisms were sought to address them. "We need to identify certain hotspots in the north west, like the Brandberg area. Then we need to discuss the management of these areas and the actual enforcement and legislation", explains Andee Davidson, Business and Institutional Support Advisor of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) in Windhoek, who was involved in the design of this Tourism Plan. According to Davidson, conservancies should be the most important partner in the process of developing tourism in Damaraland and Kaokoveld. However, he also points out that these conservancies need to be given additional rights in order to enforce the Plan.
Both Davidson and Niseth van der Meulen of Nacobta (Namibian Community Based Tourism Association) agree that the local communities are increasingly frustrated due to the many visitors, who are using and even harming this area, without communities benefiting from these safaris.
Some of the recommendations made in the Tourism Plan include: that additional legislation be given to the conservancies to allow the control of tourism and freedom of movement by tourists, which should be addressed and implemented as a matter of urgency; that a brochure be compiled and distributed at information centres and main access roads that explains ethical tourism codes; integrated tourism development and management plans on conservancy level should be prepared as a matter of urgency; that conservancies and the local communities should be empowered to manage tourism at a local level; that the establishment of up-market and mid-market lodges be promoted since these provided significantly greater economic returns to the community and regional economy; that tourists be educated and informed about the region?s environmental and social fragility.
"Tourists should really make use of the information centres, like the one in Uis. They should stay on the roads, stay in (Nacobta?s) camps and should watch each other to identify the culprits", says Van der Meulen. Nacobta has been closely involved in this process. Davidson adds: "Certain (community owned) routes, both for 4x4s and 4x2s that offer all necessary travel facilities should be promoted. People should be given information on where they could go and where they should not go and why. We must increase awareness amongst tourists".
One of the other key issues the private sector emphasised was the need for exclusive access to certain areas, in order to provide the environment required for high-paying guests. But, the WWF Advisor emphasises, the status of conservancies has to be improved first and the Directorate of Tourism should lead the whole process.
Identifying a problem like mass- or uncontrolled tourism is one thing. Finding a solution is another. "I would like to see some controlling measures in place where it would be possible to reprimand those individuals who misbehave, but I have a moral objection to limiting access to north west", is the opinion of elephant-researcher Leggett, while Tommy Hall, former MET employee, now lecturer of the NATH course on elephant behaviour says that he would like to see the western area of former Damaraland and Kaokoveld be put under protection similar to that of a National Park. Tour operator Dieter Risser suggested that main access roads to the area should be controlled by locals.
Pressing the On-button of the dishwasher this time is an almost heartbreaking experience, as the future of unguided safaris in the north west is uncertain. Will this red cup ever travel down the Ugab River, unguided, in search of the desert-dwelling giants? "[al]though very beneficial in the short term, unplanned tourism will be detrimental to the long term sustainability of tourism in the north west" (North-West Tourism Plan). Sad but true.
What is your opinion on this issue? Write to: [email protected] or 061-220225 (fax)
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