Category: News

 

 

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.

Windhoek, 18 May 2020 – Namibia Wildlife Resorts (NWR) Torra Bay campsite which was set to open from 16 – 24 May 2020, could not open due to some unforeseen circumstances.

 

Dr Matthias Ngwangwama, NWR Acting Managing Director, says, “I would like to sincerely apologise to all our clients that had already started travelling to Torra Bay or were intending to travel there during the week. I do realise that this is unwelcome news though the matter at hand was beyond our control. I, therefore, encourage them to get in touch with our reservations department where they can either re-book their stay at any one of our other properties or request a refund”.

 

Windhoek, 17 May 2020 – Contrary to media reports and public speculation, Namibia Wildlife Resorts (NWR) would like to inform the public that one of its employees, Mr Lilungwe Brighton Tembwe, who passed on 15 May 2020 and was based at its Hardap resort, did not die from Covid-19. NWR would like to reiterate that the first group that was isolated at its Hardap resort for more than fourteen days, between 25 March and 9 April 2020, were all released without showing any symptoms of Covid-19.

 

“Mr Tembwe was one of our most friendly and committed employee and was always ready to be of assistance. Therefore, as a company, we have lost one of our valuable staff members. At the same time, we would like to send our condolences to his family and friends. They should be consoled in knowing that Brighton, as he was fondly known, will be dearly missed,” says Dr Matthias Ngwangwama, NWR Acting Managing Director.

 

“Before his death, Mr Tembwe had expressed his desire to continue serving our clientele to the best of his abilities. After having distinctively done so for over 11 years, I know he was going to excel for many more years to come,” says Mr Sunday Nelenge, NWR Hardap Resort Manager.

 

Windhoek, 1 July 2020 – Namibia Wildlife Resorts (NWR) has been hard at work in addressing some limitations it identified within some of its resorts in the Etosha National Park. At the same time, NWR has been preparing its soon to be launched Hospitality Institute (Hi) for later this year.

With the absence of tourists at various resorts due to travel restrictions that were instituted by the Namibian Government aimed at safeguarding Namibian lives, NWR saw an opportunity to fast-track the work it had begun before the travel restrictions were introduced. So far, Okaukuejo has seen the renovation of the campsite ablution and field kitchen. At Halali, attention has been placed on improving the look and feel of the resort.

 

Mrs Sophia Burger, Hardap Resort Assistant Manager, was very grateful for the experience and the manner that her team came together to assist in contributing towards this national cause. She wanted to assure future Hardap resort guests that the resort has been disinfected and sanitised by the Ministry of Health and Social Services to ensure their safety. “No one should be afraid to come and pay us a visit after the lockdown has been removed”, said Mrs Burger.

 

Dr Matthias Ngwangwama, NWR Acting Managing Director, drove to the resort to inspect the disinfection process and ensure that the resort was indeed in a position to host future guests. He was very grateful towards the Government for entrusting NWR with such an essential role. “I would like to assure potential visitors to the Hardap resort that the place remains safe as all 40 isolated guests were released without any symptoms. I want to pay homage to our employees who, in my eyes, are heroes and heroines who were at the frontline, taking care of the quarantined guests during their 14-day stay at the resort,” said Dr Ngwangwama.

 

“These renovations aimed to ensure that we can give our guests the best possible experience when they visit us. With the opening of the National Parks, we would like to encourage families to visit us as we currently have a special where all our rooms excluding food and beverages are N$ 600 (except Khorixas single rooms, Hardap dormitories, Shark Island Lighthouse and Mile 108 Fisherman chalets). Our campers will be happy to know that they will only pay N$ 100 per person”, highlighted Dr Matthias Ngwangwama, NWR Acting Managing Director.

 

At the same time, NWR has been working in finalising its soon to be launched Hospitality Institute, which will focus on addressing the service levels within the organisation. The institute is a strategic intervention to increase customer service levels within the company. “One of the challenges raised within the tourism sector is the weak service levels. Therefore, as an organisation, we have made an intentional decision to remedy this by ensuring that our team members undergo periodic training in order to equip them with the right skill set. Thus far, we have already started building capacity amongst our leadership team. Therefore, the public must be on the lookout as we put everything in motion to launch our Hospitality Institute” says Dr Ngwangwama.

Windhoek, 13 April 2020 – Namibia Wildlife Resorts (NWR) is pleased to inform the public that the 40 guests that were isolated at its Hardap Resort from 25 March 2020 up until 9 April 2020 were all safely released without showing any symptoms of COVID-19.

 

During their stay, many guests expressed their great appreciation towards the resort staff with Mr Jochen Berends, who was one of the guests staying there saying “It’s time to go home. I just finished the 14-day quarantine at NWR Hardap Resort. Many thanks to the NWR team for the professional service”.

 

 

Mrs Sophia Burger, Hardap Resort Assistant Manager, was very grateful for the experience and the manner that her team came together to assist in contributing towards this national cause. She wanted to assure future Hardap resort guests that the resort has been disinfected and sanitised by the Ministry of Health and Social Services to ensure their safety. “No one should be afraid to come and pay us a visit after the lockdown has been removed”, said Mrs Burger.

 

Dr Matthias Ngwangwama, NWR Acting Managing Director, drove to the resort to inspect the disinfection process and ensure that the resort was indeed in a position to host future guests. He was very grateful towards the Government for entrusting NWR with such an essential role. “I would like to assure potential visitors to the Hardap resort that the place remains safe as all 40 isolated guests were released without any symptoms. I want to pay homage to our employees who, in my eyes, are heroes and heroines who were at the frontline, taking care of the quarantined guests during their 14-day stay at the resort,” said Dr Ngwangwama.

Windhoek, 28 March 2020 – Namibia Wildlife Resorts (NWR) was requested to lockdown its Hobas Lodge on 27 March 2020 to safeguard its staff and visitors after a guest who had visited the lodge between 17 – 19 March 2020 had tested positive for COVID-19. To ensure that no staff or visitor had contracted the virus, the Health Professionals from the Ministry of Health and Social Services Keetmanshoop District office visited the resort to assess the situation.

 

“We are pleased to inform the public that our employees that came into contact with the guest did not show any signs and symptoms of COVID-19 however they were advised to stay in isolation for 14 days. During the visit, health education was given on early detection of signs and symptoms of COVID-19, in addition to preventative measures (social distancing, hand hygiene and cough etiquette). We were assured that the Hobas lodge could re-open,” says Dr Matthias Ngwangwama, NWR Acting Managing Director.

 

Windhoek, 27 March 2020 – Namibia Wildlife Resorts (NWR) has had to lockdown its Hobas Lodge after a French Tourist that travelled to Namibia and stayed at the lodge from 17 – 19 March 2020 has since tested positive for COVID-19.

 

To safeguard NWR staff and guests, a team of Health Professionals from the Ministry of Health and Social Services Keetmanshoop Regional office has travelled to the lodge to map the way forward. “We would like to assure our staff and guests that we are doing everything possible to secure their safety. Equally, we would like to advise any of our guests that were intending to travel to Hobas to get in touch with any of our reservation’s offices to amend their bookings even during the lockdown period as we have put in the necessary measures to attend to them,” says Dr Matthias Ngwangwama, NWR Acting Managing Director.

 

Windhoek, 25 March 2020 – On 14 March 2020 Namibia recorded its first case of COVID-19. On the same day the Namibian Head of State, President Hage Geingob put in place measures to safeguard the lives of the Namibian nation. However, on 24 March 2020, Namibia had seven confirmed cases of COVID-19. With the increase of COVID-19 cases, Dr Geingob further announced measures aimed at curbing the rise of COVID-19 incidences within the country. Namibia Wildlife Resorts (NWR), a State-Owned Enterprise, has come to aid the Government in its hour of need.

 

“With the reduction in tourist arrivals into the country and the seemingly increasing need for isolation facilities for Namibians who will require clean and well-equipped isolation facilities, we saw it necessary to offer of one of our facilities to be utilised by the Government. With the Hardap resort being close to the Mariental Hospital, from where medical services can easily be provided, we believe that the 54 rooms, with 220 beds, ranging from dormitory rooms to family chalets with self-catering facilities would provide the necessary isolation environment needed,” says Dr Matthias Ngwangwama, NWR Acting Managing Director.

 

“This measure is aimed at assisting the Government in these trying times. We believe that each corporate citizen should play its part to reduce the further spread of the virus. After the virus has been brought under control, NWR will thoroughly sanitise the facility and acquire approval from the Ministry of Health and Social Services before it is re-opened to the public” says Mufaro Nesongano, NWR Corporate Communications, Online Media and Sponsorships Manager.