Staff Reporter
THE Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism, with co-funding from the Game Product Trust Fund, is renovating the existing ablution facilities and constructing new ones at Dune 7 in the Dorob National Park.
Spokesperson of the ministry of environment, Romeo Muyunda, said that the renovations and upgrades will include braai facilities and construction of five new ones; two new toilets, erection of a cable fence for the recreational area; construction of an entrance gate and reception office at Dune 7 in the Dorob National Park.
Dune 7 is a popular attraction area to both local and foreign visitors.
Muyunda said that the management of this recreational area has been difficult for the ministry due to vandalism and litter being the main problems.
“The ablution facilities and other infrastructure at the recreational area has been vandalised to the point where they are currently non-functional, costing significant amounts of money to repair.
The upgrade of the facility and infrastructure will enable the Ministry to implement and charge park entry fees at Dune 7 as approved and gazetted in 2021. The approved park entry fees have undergone a comprehensive consultative process and their implementation particularly for Dorob National has been pending upgrade of enabling infrastructure such as this one,” Muyunda explained.
The envisaged fee will assist in ensuring that the standards of the much-admired recreational facility is maintained and the experience of the visitors is enhanced, the environment ministry emphasised.
In accordance with the approved park, entry fees there will be no charge for Namibians under the age of 16.
Additionally, there will be no charge for children under the age of 8 for all nationals.
Namibians over the age of 16 will be charged N$50.00, while visitors who are from Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries and over the age of 8, but not exceeding 16 years, will be charged N$50 00.
Visitors from other countries over the age of 8 and not exceeding 16 years will be charged N$100 per person. Visitors from SADC countries over the age of 16 will be charged N$100. Lastly, visitors from other countries over the age of 16 will be charged N$150.
Muyunda concluded that in the long term, the ministry will offer the recreational area as a tourism concession in accordance with the Tourism Development Plan for Dorob National Park.
Through this concession, more tourism products and services will be developed, not only to ensure acceptable standards of the area, but also to enhance the visitors’ experience he said.
“The concession will be advertised in the press soon. We urge visitors to the Dune 7 recreation to cooperate and work with the ministry in ensuring that the new facilities should be looked after and not vandalised,” Muyunda said.
