Author: Stalin Kay

 

Windhoek, Namibia – September 26, 2023 – Namibia Wildlife Resorts (NWR) is proud to announce that it has been honoured with the prestigious Institute of People Management (IPM) Award for its exceptional commitment to recruiting and nurturing young talents in the hospitality industry. The award ceremony, which recognised NWR for recruiting the highest number of students and interns, took place on 19th September in Swakopmund, Namibia.

 

NWR has long been dedicated to creating lasting value for society by providing students and interns with invaluable market experience within the field of hospitality. Beyond its core operations, NWR manages two dedicated hospitality institutes at Gross Barmen in Okahandja and Khorixas. These institutes have not only produced industry-ready professionals but have also played a pivotal role in bolstering the tourism and hospitality sector of Namibia.

 

In addition to nurturing talent within its own institutes, NWR extends its commitment to the broader community by engaging students from various educational institutions. Presently, NWR has approximately 100 students on its roster, all of whom are gaining invaluable industry exposure and hands-on experience.

 

Mr. Nelson Ashipala, NWR’s Communications Manager, expressed his delight upon receiving this prestigious award. He remarked, “An award of this magnitude truly excites us, as it serves as a testament to our unwavering dedication to nurturing the next generation of hospitality professionals. We believe that investing in young talent is pivotal for the growth of our industry and the nation as a whole. This recognition reaffirms that we are on the right path, and we are committed to continuing our efforts in this direction.”

 

“NWR remains committed to its mission of not only providing world-class hospitality services but also serving as a beacon of opportunity for aspiring individuals seeking to embark on a rewarding career in the hospitality and tourism industry”, he further added.

 

Windhoek, 10 May 2023 – Namibia Wildlife Resorts (NWR) Board and Management presented its annual report to the Ministry of Finance and Public Enterprises, Minister Iipumbu Shiimi, on the 9th of May 2023. The company announced that it had achieved a clean audit for the first time, indicating its commitment to effective governance and accountability.

 

During the year under review, NWR managed to cut its operating loss by 66%, from N$97 million in 2021 to N$33 million in 2022. Revenue improved by 74%, from N$167 million in 2021 to N$290 million. This remarkable effort reflects NWR’s dedication to sustainability and innovation, as well as its ongoing efforts to streamline operations and enhance customer experience. While NWR is still in a loss-making situation, the company’s management is confident that if the same improvement trend continues, a profit is certain in the near future. NWR remains committed to delivering exceptional service to its guests and exploring new ways of enhancing its service offerings.

 

In addition to financial performance, NWR is proud to report that it is in compliance with statutory requirements and governance regulations. The Governance Agreement and board members’ Performance Agreements with the Shareholder, as envisaged by the Public Enterprises Governance Act, 2019 (Act No.1 of 2019) are being finalised, ensuring that NWR continues to uphold the highest standards of corporate responsibility.

 

The Minister of Finance and Public Enterprise, Mr Iipumbu Shiimi congratulated NWR for once again setting a great example in presenting its audit report on time. “Allow me to thank the NWR team for setting a great example in finalising its audit on time. This is not something that is common in the State Owned Enterprise sector. This achievement reflects the hard work and dedication of the entire NWR team, and it underscores the company’s commitment to transparency and accountability” he said.

 

The Chairman of the board, Ambassodor Haroldt /Urib highlighted NWR’s commitment to ensuring Namibians get an opportunity to experience leisure travel. “As in previous years, NWR is dedicated to introducing specials and discounts to its domestic market, aimed at encouraging domestic travellers to sign up for, and use, the Namleisure card. The Namleisure card entitles Namibians to a 50% discount on accommodation and is aimed at promoting tourism within the country. The company is pleased to note that new cardholders for the domestic market continue to grow, providing an opportunity for Namibians to visit and know their own country” the Chairperson said.

 

Overall, NWR’s Annual Report reflects a commitment to excellence in all areas of its operations. The company remains dedicated to providing exceptional service to its guests, while also upholding the highest standards of corporate responsibility and accountability.

 

Windhoek, 9 May 2023 –Namibia Wildlife Resorts (NWR) is excited to announce that Helalia Johannes, an accomplished Namibian long-distance runner, will attempt to break her own national half-marathon record at the NWR Annual Half Marathon on May 27, 2023.

 

Helalia Johannes is a four-time Olympian and has participated in three World Championships. She has won a Commonwealth Games title and a World Championships bronze medal. Johannes holds national records for the 10,000 meters, half-marathon, and marathon distances.

 

During the race, Helalia will be joined by pacers to help her maintain the necessary speed for her record-breaking attempt. She will also have a constant supply of water throughout the race. The current Namibian half-marathon record, held by Johannes, stands at 1:07:49.

 

The NWR Annual Half Marathon takes place at the picturesque Gross Barmen Resort in Okahandja. It offers race distances of 5, 10, and 21 kilometers, welcoming both seasoned runners and beginners. The event aims to promote wellness, healthy lifestyles, and conservation efforts. The marathon will generate funds to support anti-poaching initiatives and rhino conservation programs.

 

“We are thrilled to have Helalia Johannes attempt to break the Namibian half-marathon record at our event. We believe this will inspire other runners to challenge themselves and join our cause,” said Dr. Matthias Ngwangwama, Managing Director of NWR.

 

To register for the NWR Annual Half Marathon and support this fantastic cause, visit the official website at https://www.nwr.com.na/nwr-annual-half-marathon/.

 

About Namibia Wildlife Resorts:

Namibia Wildlife Resorts is a government-owned hospitality company that manages the tourism facilities within Namibia’s national parks. NWR is committed to promoting sustainable tourism practices and contributing to wildlife conservation efforts.

 

Windhoek, 9 December 2022 – Namibia Wildlife Resorts (NWR) is launching a brand new competition to reward and entice travellers with an unforgettable experience across Namibia.

 

Introducing “Share your #NWRMoments”, an interactive competition running across all NWR social media accounts that encourages everyone to share their post-pandemic memories at any of our resorts, NWR sees this competition as a way of giving back to the locals that have not only supported NWR through the pandemic but have remained loyal over time.

 

The competition also aims to promote commerce, tourism, and travel across Namibia – encouraging locals and international tourists alike to explore the beauty of our country, a land of contrast. Participants stand a chance to win one of five 2-night experiences at an NWR resort of their choice, excluding flights or transportation.

 

“We’re excited to launch this competition,” said Nelson Ashipala, Corporate Communications Manager. “This is an opportunity to improve our products and services through valuable customer feedback. It also allows Namibians to experience the newly renovated facilities first. We look forward to seeing people’s amazing experiences at our resorts. The timing is also right as many are now using their Black Friday vouchers.”

 

 

The launch will take place on the 9th of December and will see a few selected Namibian Influencers travel to the southern parts of the country to enjoy the beauty and hospitality.

 

To enter, Namibians and visitors from around the world can visit https://www.nwr.com.na/competition for more information. Entries open Friday, 9 December 2022, and close Wednesday, 1 February 2023, at midnight Central African Time (CAT).

 

• NWR announces improvements in its 2021 financial performance.
• Announces dawn of new strategy through innovative ideas and new
  customer experiences.
• Shareholder expresses appreciation to the NWR board for setting an
  example by being selfless in cutting board fees

 

Windhoek, 18 May 2022 – Namibia Wildlife Resorts Limited (NWR) announced improvements in its financial performance at the recently concluded Annual General Meeting (AGM) that took place on 17 May 2022 in Windhoek.

While announcing the importance of compliance with the Public Enterprise Act 2019 (Act 1 of 2019), through timely production of Annual reports and the publishing of Annual Audited Financial Statements, the Managing Director of the Namibia Wildlife Resorts, Dr. Matthias Ngwangwama announced that the Namibia Wildlife Resorts reduced its losses from N$ 174 million in the year 2020 to N$ 97 million in the financial year 2021, an improvement of 44% or N$ 77 million.

“We have devised a strategy that will allow us to return to profitability. The strategy involves moving beyond just providing facilities. The launch of our NWR camera at the waterhole has created a huge interest in our resorts. We hope with the new innovative ideas and customer experience initiatives that we aim to implement, such as enhanced digital and online presence, group packages for families and runners’ clubs, and other planned activities at our resorts, will enable us to increase our occupancies and enable us to make greater revenue than currently” Dr. Ngwangwama said.

 

The improved performance is attributed to, amongst others, the reduction in staff complement through voluntary separation exercise and having the senior management and board members to take a 25% cut on their salaries and board fees respectively.

 

“From a cost-cutting perspective, we continued to implement various cost-cutting measures in 2021, including a reduction in employee costs through voluntary separation. I am in no doubt that the company is now in a position of generating a larger profit than that recorded in 2019” said Ms. Janet Wilson- Moore, Vice-Chairperson of the NWR Board.

 

On the same occasion, the Deputy Minister of Finance, Honourable Maureen Hinda-Mbuende expressed her appreciation to the NWR board for setting an example by being selfless in cutting their board fees and for seeing through their two three-year terms which comes an end in June 2022.

 

 

 

Windhoek, 23 April 2022 – Over 300 runners braved the cold weather of Windhoek to take part in the inaugural NWR Bi-Annual marathon.

 

The race, which aims to become one of the country’s largest marathons, had both elite and social runners from all walks of life testing their lungs against the elements. Good times were recorded on the day, with the winner for the 21 Kilometer race coming in at 1 hour 34 minutes, that is Ms. Helena Iipinge. For the Male category, Mr. David Salomo won the 21.1 Kilometers with a time of 1 hour and 15.

 

The 10 Kilometers race was won by Yvonne Shelikita and the male category by Kudumo Mbathera.

 

After the race, the Managing Director of NWR, Mr. Matthias Ngwangwama, expressed his joy in seeing the participants’ huge turnout. “When we started with this initiative, we aimed to work on customer experience. I am glad this is the route we are taking and that we can eventually see more of this,” he said.

 

All the runners got medals for their participation, while all category winners got vouchers for the value of N$80 000.

 

• Fish river canyon hiking season starts
• Route markings to be done by NWR and METF as from 12 April

 

Windhoek, 3 March 2022 – Namibia Wildlife Resorts in conjunction with the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism will embark on a route marking and route inspection exercise in the Fish River Canyon from 12 to 17 April 2022 in anticipation of the start to the famous Fish River Canyon hike.

 

This joint effort between the two institutions marks the beginning of the Fish River hiking season that will see throngs of tourists undertake the 4-5 day guided or unguided hike into the canyon with a total hiking distance of about 86 kilometres.

 

Route inspections in the canyon will make navigation easier for tourists and nature lovers as well as to make sure that the canyon is fit for hiking. Since the rainy season came to an end, one was not really able to determine the amount of water that has flown into the canyon. Inspections will allow NWR to advice tourists on the safest routes and the depth of the pools within the canyon.

 

The hiking season runs from 1 May to 15 September every year and for this year alone, the hiking list is already full. This year we expect more then 4000 tourists to descend in to the canyon.

 

About the Fish River Canyon

 

The Fish River Canyon is the second largest canyon worldwide after the Grand Canyon in the USA. The Canyon forms part of the state-run Ais-Ais Richtersveld Transfontier Park.

 

The Fish River is 800 kilometres long and thus the longest river of Namibia. It has its source in the eastern parts of the Naukluft Mountains.

 

After being retained the Fish River does not carry water continuously, only during the rainy season the river might turns into a torrent. During the dry season sporadic pools supply water to many animals.

 

• NWR launches camera in the Etosha National Park

 

Windhoek, 3 March 2022 – The Namibia Wildlife Resorts on 3 March 2022 launched a 24/7 live webcam at the Okaukuejo Resort water hole within the Etosha National Park in what is termed “virtual tourism”.

 

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The camera that is found at one of the busiest waterholes in the Park aims to allow Namibians and the world at large to experience nature and wildlife within the comfort of their homes by viewing and experiencing first-hand animals within their natural habitat.

 

Virtual tourism presents viewers with an immersive experience of an activity, location, or destination through the use of video technology format to provide an experience of a destination that a user cannot get through images or a website alone.

 

Viewers can access virtual tourism content using a virtual reality headset for the most immersive experience, but they can also usually view the content on a normal computer or even a mobile device through the NWR social media page on Youtube, of course, at no extra cost.

 

The benefit of this innovation is that viewers can see and experience a destination without traveling to it, which means they aren’t limited by available flights, travel logistics, safety concerns, and whether destinations are open.

 

The other huge benefit for viewers is cost. Virtual tourism makes destinations accessible to millions of people who may otherwise not be able to afford to travel to them. Other water holes within the park will be covered soon.

 

 

• NWR condemns the behaviour of a group of tourists in Sossusvlei.
• Calls for responsible tourism from all visitors in our country.

 

Windhoek, 18 February 2022– The Namibia Wildlife Resorts on the 17^th of February 2022, took notice of images circulating on social media, of tourists posing on top of the “dead trees” in the Deadvlei, a tourist destination within the Sossusvlei.

 

The dead camelthorn trees, also known as the Vachellia Erioloba, found in the Deadvlei are known to be over 900 years old and were formed by a change in climate after the dunes encroached the pan, preventing water from reaching the area where the trees are found. Decomposition of this nature’s wonder was however not possible because of its dry climate.

 

Seeing tourists climb these rather symbolic trees is not only despicable, but it goes against the notion of Responsible Tourism. It is required that operators, hoteliers, government, locals and tourists take responsibility and take action to make tourism more sustainable.

 

With this said, NWR would like to, in its strongest terms condemn the irresponsible behaviour of this group of tourists that decided that not only is it enough to pose near these trees but rather a good idea to climb on them and take pictures.

 

Namibia’s beauty is characterised by its well maintained and respected tourism sites. Seeing individuals destroy it through unbecoming behaviours spells what we as Namibians stand against as a tourist destination.

 

We urge all visitors to our tourism sites to please respect all park rules and not to take action that will end up wiping away our beautiful artefacts.

 

• NWR Appoints staff to mitigate complaints and enhance quality of service across all of our resorts.

 

Windhoek, 19 January 2022 – With a growing number of concerns from the public on the quality of service and food at our resorts across the country, the Namibia Wildlife Resorts (NWR) has appointed a staff member, Mr. Karl-Reinhold Risser, to assist with food and beverage menu, customer service training and the enhancement of customer experience at all of the companies resorts.

 

NWR has always pride itself in offering good quality service to its customers. However, the company took notice of an increase in customer complaints across all its lodges. These complaints range from food quality to service delivery amongst others.

 

Dr Matthias Ngwangwama, NWR Managing Director, showed his excitement in welcoming Mr. Risser to the team. “Since we welcomed Mr. Risser to NWR, we have already seen a change in quality of service at Gross Barmen resort, one of our busiest places. Our plan right now is to move him across all of our resorts so that he can assist our resort staff in implementing new ideas and strategies and capacity development”.

 

Mr. Risser has been in the hotel and tourism industry for most of his working career and has worked for several high-profile hospitality companies, both locally and internationally.

 

Globally, Mr. Risser worked at some notable hotels in Frankfurt and Germany such as Hotel Gravenbruch and Atlantic Hotel in Hamburg. He has been employed at the NWR since December 2021.

 

His specific assignment at NWR includes assisting in costs management, customer relationship management and the enhancement of the food and beverage experience. Some notable accolades locally includes having worked at Gocheganas Nature Reserve and Wellness Village as General Manager and Wolwedans Dessert Academy as trainer.