Author: Stalin Kay

Windhoek, 18 October 2020 – One of Namibia’s foremost tourism organisation Namibia Wildlife Resorts Limited (NWR) began a voluntary separation exercise to align its staff numbers in light of the impact that Covid-19 has had on the tourism sector. From 22 September 2020 up until 22 October 2020 NWR has provided its staff with an opportunity to separate from the organisation voluntarily.

 

The voluntary separation exercise comes on the backdrop of its Board of Directors and Senior management team, taking a 25% reduction in earnings. However, these efforts alone have not been sufficient to place the organisation in a better financial position. Therefore the NWR EXCO submitted a cost-cutting plan to its Board of which they approved. One of the measures in the plan was voluntary separation with the view of ensuring the sustainability of the organisation.

 

NWR is offering its employees who would like to separate voluntarily the following: 

• Two week’s salary for every year of uninterrupted service as a severance pay-out.
• Any leave balances as at 30 September 2020, subject to a maximum of 60 days will be paid-out.
• Any accrued leave days above 60 days will be paid at 50% or half of the excess days.
• Any employee entitled to an annual birthday bonus, a proportion equal to the months since the last bonus will be paid out.
• One month’s salary in lieu of notice.
• Total Pension Fund credit in line with the Pension / Provident Fund Rules / Laws
• Transport to the place of normal residence (within the borders of Namibia) for them and their belongings.

 

“Based on worldwide experiences, we are aware that it would be difficult for us to have the same staff profile pre-Covid. Most companies around the world have begun following the same trend to find ways of reducing their wage bill and other operational costs,” says Dr Matthias Ngwangwama, NWR Managing Director.

 

Windhoek, 11 October 2020 – Namibia Wildlife Resorts (NWR) is making solid progress in giving effect to an apprenticeship funding agreement it entered into with the Namibia Training Authority (NTA), earlier this year. The agreement makes provision for the NTA to fund the apprenticeship training of 80 young Namibians, recruited from all fourteen regions, towards acquiring the National Vocational Certificate in Hospitality and Tourism qualification in the areas of ‘Core Commercial Cookery Skills’, ‘Food and Beverage Operations’, ‘Front Office Operations ’and ‘Housekeeping Operations’. Underlining the need for continuous investment in training to enhance the competitiveness of the Hospitality and Tourism sector, NWR Managing Director, Dr Matthias Ngwangwama described the apprenticeship partnership as an important step. “A competitive tourism sector requires continuous training, with a special focus on customer service. Over the years, we fulfilled this responsibility on an ad-hoc basis. However, with the financial support emanating from the NTA-funded apprenticeship programme, we are now able to gain better traction in doing our part to train Namibians in this important economic growth sector”. On his part, Namibia Training Authority Caretaker Chief Executive Officer, Mr Cornelis Beuke commended NWR for giving effect to the agreement. “Apprenticeship is a time-tested channel through which to provide young people with opportunities to enter high-value work-based learning. The NTA has of recent entered into many such agreements with other public and private sector partners. NWR did well amid COVID-19 to firm up arrangements, and we look forward to the first graduates from this initiative to enter the world of work with confidence and competence. Furthermore, Mr Beuke explained that “as an employer, NWR, by investing in talent development through apprenticeship, stands to gain a pipeline of loyal skilled workers to increase its productivity and improve the bottom line”. The NTA will fund each apprentice at the cost of N$ 160,800.00 over three years. As far as theoretical work and assessment preparation are concerned, the apprentices will receive support from two NTA-registered training institutions, namely the Okakarara Vocational Training Centre, in Otjozondjupa and the Homestead Skills and Technical Skills Academy, in the Ohangwena region.

 

Meanwhile, NWR is making strong inroads towards establishing its training arm. Namibia Wildlife Resorts Hospitality Institute (NWR Hi) is to have its main campus at the Khorixas Rest Camp in the Kunene region and a satellite campus at the Gross Barmen Resort in Otjozondjupa. “We recently applied to the NTA to be registered as a training institution, and we are hard at work to ensure that we meet the requirements”, Ngwangwama concluded.

Windhoek, 20 September 2020 – For the past six months, all tourism companies have been severely affected by Covid-19. Namibia Wildlife Resorts Limited (NWR) being one of the dominate players was not spared from the impacts of the pandemic. With the negative effect on the operations of the business, NWR has had to pursue extensive cost-cutting and revenue-enhancing measures that enabled it to continue as a going concern.

 

 

“Whilst we aggressively cut-costs and continue to do so, we are not making any significant revenue at the moment. With Covid-19 being a part of us for the foreseeable future, our Board, Managing Director and Senior Management, with an E-Patterson grading, took a decision earlier this month to cut their salaries by 25%, effective from September 2020” says Mr Mufaro Nesongano, NWR Corporate Communications, Online Media and Sponsorships Manager.

It must be noted that this is not a populist decision but a deep-seated desire from the NWR Board and Senior Management team to ensure the company’s longevity and survival. “It is no secret that we play a vital role within the tourism sector as well as the Namibian economy. Thus, this decision is aimed at providing the company with further savings as we continue in uncharted waters” says Dr Matthias Ngwangwama, NWR Managing Director.

 

Windhoek, 23 August 2020 – Since Mid-May 2020 up until 31 August 2020, Namibia Wildlife Resorts Limited (NWR) slashed all its rates to a low N$ 600 per room to respond to the changing market conditions as well as stimulate domestic travel. NWR was pleased to see the local market react positively to the special rate, that saw some of its resorts in the Etosha National Park and its Sossus Dune Lodge in the Namib Naukluft Park have busy weekends and some occupancies during the week.

 

For the past four months, NWR has been significantly subsidising its guests to provide them with relief in these challenging times. However, for any organisation to remain sustainable in the current market conditions, it needs to periodically align its rates to its operational costs. Thus, as from 1 September 2020, NWR will be introducing new domestic rates that will be valid up until 30 November 2021. These rates will see resorts such as Sossus Dune Lodge, that usually cost N$ 2800 per person excluding meals, starting from N$ 1200 per person, inclusive of Breakfast and Dinner. For Namleisure cardholders, the rate will start from N$ 1000 per person. Equally, Okaukuejo that charges N$ 1425 per person, excluding meals, will start from N$ 550 per person inclusive of Breakfast and N$ 400 per person for Namleisure cardholders. For those that enjoy camping, for a group of four, they will only pay N$ 400 per campsite.

 

 

 

“We are pleased that the N$ 600 per room special was well received by the local market and we are grateful for each guest that visited us during the past four months. With the recent trip that I embarked on with my team to some of our resorts, I was pleased to see several guests staying with us even during the week. Though, with every product or service, there is always room for improvement. That’s why after the comments that we received from the time we started the special and the customer feedback survey that we ran that had 622 respondents, we were able to identify the matters that our guests wanted us to improve on. Therefore, for all our new domestic rates; meals have been included. Guests choosing to visit Popa Falls or Onkoshi will have the opportunity to opt for the full-board price, resulting in them only having to worry about getting themselves to the resort and the rest leave to us to take care of” says Dr Matthias Ngwangwama, NWR Managing Director.

 

 

During the same period, NWR was the first hospitality establishment in the country to offer some of its facilities to the Ministry of Health and Social Services to be used as isolation facilities. With the experience that NWR gained and the need for isolation facilities for the near future, NWR decided to offer /Ai-/Ais Hotsprings and Spa, Hardap and Waterberg as their official isolation facilities.

 

“Gross Barmen that had been previously used as an isolation facility was removed from the list after many requests from our guests. I am therefore pleased to say that the resort was disinfected for the past two weeks and will start welcoming guests from 24 August 2020” says Mr Epson Kasuto, NWR Chief Marketing Officer.

 

Windhoek, 16 August 2020 – Between 10 – 12 August 2020, Namibia Wildlife Resorts (NWR) Managing Director Dr Matthias Ngwangwama along with members of his Executive Committee (EXCO) visited its Etosha National Park resorts to evaluate the renovation work that has been undertaken. During the visit, the Managing Director and the Executive team were joined by Mr Nelson Nghitaunapo, a representative of the Namibia Public Workers’ Union (NAPWU) who are a key stakeholder. At each resort, engagements were held with staff members to get feedback on some of the challenges they have faced during these challenging few months.

 

 

 

 

Dr Ngwangwama and his Executive team started their trip at Dolomite which amongst others, had its ageing wooden deck and chalet canvas replaced. The revitalised resort, which is the only one on the Western side of the Etosha National Park has seen thrones of locals frequenting it since mid-May due to its seclusion. “I must say that over the past few months, I have had many clients personally email me appreciating the changes that have taken place at Dolomite resort” said Dr Ngwangwama.

 

 

 

The NWR Executive team also checked on the measures that the Ministry of Health and Social Services (MOHSS) had requested each tourism establishment to have in place. “I am pleased that when we visited Okaukuejo and our other resorts within the Etosha National park, I noticed that all our staff are adhering to the COVID-19 guidelines stipulated by MOHSS. This should assure our guests that their safety is our number one priority. Equally, I am happy with the progress that has been made with the renovations at the double rooms and waterhole chalets in Okaukuejo. These renovations show our resolve to provide our guests with the best experience in the park” said Mr Sebulon Chicalu, NWR Chief Operations Officer.

 

 

Likewise, Halali is going to surprise old and new guests alike. With the internal team, the resort has been rejuvenated. The rooms have been refreshed, the camping facilities have been increased, and additional cooking facilities for overlanders have been added. “I was surprised by the changes that I saw at the resort. After having last visited it some time ago, it was great to see how the internal team has worked tirelessly to renew the resort. Even though the project is not yet complete, the changes done are out of this world” says Mr Mufaro Nesongano, NWR Corporate Communications, Online Media and Sponsorships Manager.

 

 

Over the years, NWR has been at the forefront of encouraging local travel by offering various specials. Between mid-May up until 31 August 2020, NWR reduced all its rates to N$ 600 per room. “This special price was introduced to further make travel as affordable as possible during these challenging times. It was therefore very encouraging to see many families visiting us for the first time and others after many years. We, therefore, are very grateful with the feedback that we have received regarding the special and encourage those that have not utilised it to do so before it ends. For our clients that have made bookings and have not been able to visit us due to the travel restriction in some areas, we encourage them to move their booking to a later date at no cost” concludes Dr Ngwangwama.

 

 

Windhoek, 22 July 2020 – Namibia Wildlife Resorts (NWR) held it’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) on 20 July 2020 to review the past year’s operations and present its 2018/2019 financial results. For the first time, the AGM was held under the new commercial state-owned enterprise Act 2019 (Act 1 of 2019) that came into operation on 16 December 2019. At the meeting, the shareholder was represented by the Minister of Public Enterprise Honourable Leon Jooste and the Minister of Environment, Forestry and Tourism Honourable Pohamba Shifeta.

 

In presenting the historical results to the shareholder, NWR Chairman Ambassador Leonard Iipumbu said, “after more than 20 years, we managed to record a profit for the first time since our creation in 1999. This past financial year saw us record a N$22 million profit, which is a N$41 million improvement on the 2018 financial year. We achieved this by increasing our revenue by 11% compared to the 2018 financial year and by keeping our operating expenses flat, despite inflationary pressures”.

 

However, the Chairman was quick to add that, “at the time of writing the 2018/2019 annual report, Covid-19 had been declared a pandemic by the World Health Organisation (WHO). The impact of Covid-19 on the tourism industry is severe and devastating. With international travel restrictions effectively halting all progress in the tourism industry we will not be able to repeat the success of 2019”. Though, he highlighted that “the company has implemented critical measures to mitigate the effects of Covid-19 to ensure its sustainability. For example, the introduction of the extra-ordinary N$600 per room special targeting the domestic market, is one of these measures”.

 

Newly appointed NWR Managing Director, Dr Matthias Ngwangwama, noted that “despite the change in leadership, the company continued to operate as normal. For instance, a profit scenario was recorded for the first time in our history, which, in my view, summarises the progress we made in terms of governance of the company”.

 

He went on to say that “there were also improvements in the adherence to standard operating procedures. Customer service levels also improved, and positive feedback was received from our customers. The negative media reports that characterised us in the past, also significantly improved. We will continue to build from the successes and improvements recorded in 2019 to improve even more in the 2020 financial year, albeit the disruptive and challenging times of Covid-19”, said Dr Ngwangwama.

 

Windhoek, 1 July 2020 – Namibia Wildlife Resorts (NWR) has grown its NamLeisure offering by introducing a NamLeisure Corporate card that is aimed at giving companies a discount on their meetings, incentives, conferences and events at any of its establishments that are spread across the country.

 

Considering the high impact that COVID-19 has had on business, NWR saw the need to introduce a product that would be able to assist companies as they map their way forward post COVID-19. “Over the years, we have been receiving requests from companies to make use of our facilities for different purposes. After holding some consultative engagements, we saw the opportunity to create a NamLeisure Corporate card. Companies will be spoilt for choice across a variety of our various resorts. I am, therefore, encouraging companies to get the card to enjoy its great benefits be it for their meetings, incentives, conferences, events or team-building exercise” says Ms Esther Ndilula, NWR MICE and Tour Planning Manager.

 

Mr Epson Kasuto, NWR Chief Marketing Officer, added that “with a 50% discount on accommodation and a 25% discount on activities, our wish is that companies take advantage of this card to make use of our facilities throughout Namibia at a discounted rate”. The NamLeisure Family already consists of a NamLeisure Student card that costs N$ 150.00. In contrast, the NamLeisure Solo for a single person costs N$ 250.00 additionally the NamLeisure Plus for two people costs N$ 400.00 and a NamLeisure Family aimed at families composed of two adults and two children aged 13 -17 costs N$ 700.00. All of these cards are renewable yearly at the cost price while the corporate card will cost N$ 3000.00 and will be renewable every three years.

 

Windhoek, 12 June 2020 – Namibia Wildlife Resorts (NWR) Board of Directors appoints Dr Matthias Mpareke Ngwangwama as the substantive Managing Director effective 1 April 2020 for a tenure of five years.

 

Dr Ngwangwama is no stranger to NWR, having spent the last seven years in two very critical and strategic positions in the company. He was the longest-serving Chief Financial Officer (CFO) before taking over as the Chief Officer: Strategy and Projects within the organisation two years ago. Dr Ngwangwama has been acting Managing Director of NWR since 23 April 2019 where he worked tirelessly with the Board and Management to implement the drive towards guest satisfaction through operational and service excellence, aligning the company culture to a service-oriented culture and making the customer experience seamless.

 

His appointment will require him to chart the way forward for the organisation during this period of uncertainty within the tourism sector. Ambassador Leonard N. Iipumbu, NWR Board Chairperson, says that “as a board we know we have made the right choice. Being a PhD holder in Business Management and Administration from the University of Stellenbosch (Business School) with extensive work experience in diverse sectors within the Namibian Economy, such as postal, financial and youth development services, he will greatly use this knowledge and experience in realising the NWR vision of providing the destinations of choice for tourism in Africa”.

 

Previously Dr Ngwangwama was employed, at various levels, both managerial and non-managerial levels, in several Namibian organisations, such as Namibia Post Ltd and National Youth Service (NYS) for many years. The NWR Board would like to wish him well and look forward to working with him.