The Ministry of Environment, Forestry, and Tourism (MEFT) is developing a spatial tourism master plan to promote organised and inclusive growth.
The newly appointed minister Indileni Daniel announced that this plan is set to be completed by the end of June this year.
Speaking during her first staff engagement in Windhoek on Monday, the Minister said the Spatial Tourism Master Plan aims to attract and encourage new investments while ensuring diversification and sustainability in the tourism industry.
"This is necessary to stimulate the local economy by redefining the tourism landscape to bring about greater socio-economic inclusion. We also need to ensure optimum benefits for all local communities from tourism and natural resources through value addition and diversification."
Daniel noted that her focus will also be on capitalizing and operationalising the Lotteries and Gambling Boards and the Access and Benefit sharing office to generate much-needed revenue for the treasury and improve regulations in these important sectors.
"We have a robust set of policies on waste management, forestry, wildlife, climate, and biodiversity. Our duty is to ensure these policies are fully implemented and to remove any barriers hindering progress. Strengthen partnerships with state agencies, civil society, and intergovernmental organisations to mobilise additional resources."
She called on her staff to act decisively in the areas of environmental protection and resource management to accelerate reforestation efforts to combat deforestation and land degradation while enhancing climate change resilience.
She also aims to strengthen anti-poaching and conservation efforts, to increase investment in protected areas, to safeguard wildlife and address human-wildlife conflicts, while ensuring effective management of the concession rights for communities to derive income.
"Ours is a strategic ministry with a critical mandate, and it is only through collective effort and by working with all stakeholders and partners that we can fulfil our responsibilities to the Namibian people. It can not continue to be business as usual. It is our job to serve the public, and we cannot have the public beg us for services."
Daniel highlighted that all these efforts aim to ensure that Namibia preserves its natural heritage, fosters sustainable tourism, and drives economic growth while ensuring environmental stewardship.