Namibia has launched a National Tour Guide Registration database to bring a wide range of benefits to the tourism industry, including new levels of quality assurance and enhanced recognition and promotion of operators.

The database was launched at the beginning of February by the Namibia Travel and Tourism Forum (NTTF) with the support of the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism (MEFT) and the Emerging Tourism Enterprises Association (ETEA).

NTTF Founder Nrupesh Soni explained that the database held a number of benefits for tour guides, including increased visibility and exposure to potential clients.

“With a centralised platform that is accessible to the public, clients will easily be able to find and book registered tour guides, increasing their chances of securing more business. By requiring tour guides to register and meet certain criteria, the database will provide a level of assurance for tourists that their guide is qualified and able to provide a high-quality experience.”

The registry will also provide a mechanism for tourists to provide feedback and ratings on their experiences.

“By having a set of criteria that tour guides must meet to register, the industry will be able to promote and maintain a high level of professionalism, quality and safety,” said Soni.

Paving the way for standardisation

Once the database is compiled, the resource is envisaged to eventually contribute to the standardisation and professionalisation of the tourism industry in Namibia. According to Soni, this will help “to increase tourists’ confidence in the industry and ultimately drive growth and development”.

“The launch will pave the way for recognition and eventually lead to regulation of the tour guides, however the next steps will be undertaken by MEFT and relevant entities once we have the database,” said Soni.

With the involvement of ETEA, the database will also strongly support emerging and small tourism businesses, helping to foster a more diverse tourism landscape.

“The launch of this database marks an important step forward for the Namibian tourism industry and demonstrates a commitment to growth and development,” said Soni.

*Tour guides are encouraged to register on the platform at travel.na/registerguide/. Those who are unable to fill out the form can also send their details to guides@travel.na, where they will be entered into the database.