The Hospitality Association of Namibia (HAN) has renewed its call for urgent intervention to address deteriorating telecommunications services in remote tourism areas, warning that poor connectivity is undermining visitor experiences and weakening Namibia's competitiveness as the country enters its peak tourism season.
In a reminder sent to MTC and Telecom Namibia, HAN said it first raised the issue with both telecommunications providers in mid-April but has seen little progress since then.
According to Gitta Paetzold, CEO of HAN, Telecom Namibia only acknowledged receipt of its initial correspondence and indicated that the matter would be considered, while MTC later requested specific GPS coordinates and affected cellphone numbers where connectivity problems occur.
She said the request came only after repeated follow-ups, including a third reminder at the end of May.
Paetzold, however, said that the issue extends far beyond isolated locations and represents a nationwide challenge affecting tourism businesses, guest farms and lodges operating in remote areas, as well as the agricultural sector.
"Tourism depends on connectivity," she said, adding that Namibia is falling behind competing destinations in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) in terms of the availability, speed and affordability of internet and communication services.
The association warned that reliable internet has become an essential part of the tourism experience, with accommodation establishments relying on connectivity for reservations, guest communication, online payments, operations and marketing to international markets.
To demonstrate the extent of the problem, Paetzold said HAN requested one of its members – a prominent high-end lodge catering to international visitors – to provide detailed evidence of the challenges experienced. The information submitted included documentation outlining connectivity failures and historical data usage records illustrating a significant decline in service over time.
Paetzold said that the information was provided not to assign blame but to highlight the seriousness of the problem.
"This is not an attempt by us as HAN or the tourism industry to point fingers, but an urgent national call to us as Namibians to ensure that this beautiful country lives up to the expectations of our clients in terms of at least matching the global connectivity status quo that end users are accustomed to.”
She said that the timing is particularly critical as July marks the start of Namibia's tourism high season.
Paetzold also pointed out that three international airlines have announced additional flights to Namibia to meet growing tourism demand, placing even greater importance on ensuring that supporting infrastructure keeps pace.
She said the country's successful destination marketing efforts must be matched by reliable service delivery across all sectors, including telecommunications.
"It is now upon all of the service providers involved, including our telecommunication service providers, to contribute to the national effort to optimise Namibia's standing and competitiveness as a destination of choice.”
HAN has urged both MTC and Telecom Namibia to treat the matter with urgency, warning that continued connectivity challenges risk damaging guest satisfaction, business operations and Namibia's reputation as a world-class tourism destination.
