Namibe province's deputy governor for technical services and infrastructure, Ema Silva, has called for greater private sector and civil society involvement in managing and developing the province's tourism assets, arguing that the state cannot bear that responsibility alone.
Silva made the remarks on Friday in Moçâmedes during a technical forum on tourism held to mark World Tourism Day, stressing that the sector's development requires a broad coalition of stakeholders beyond government.
According to the official, tourism encompasses operators, tour guides, travel agencies, local communities and individual citizens, all of whom must play an active role in unlocking the value of the province's natural, historical, architectural and cultural resources across its various municipalities.
'The tourism industry is cross-cutting,' Silva said, adding that the sector spans numerous professional fields and should enable each community to showcase what makes it unique — including its culture, traditions, music and gastronomy.
On the question of tourism concessions, Silva described them as an important instrument for managing the province's tourism assets, arguing that sites should be administered by private operators or through public-private partnerships (PPPs).
The deputy governor explained that private participation should translate into tangible improvements to the visitor experience, including sanitation facilities, adequate parking, the sale of local products and souvenirs, and — critically — the generation of revenue.
'Above all, generate revenue,' Silva said, making the case that tourism activity must deliver prosperity for operators while simultaneously contributing to the preservation and enhancement of the sites themselves.
To that end, she called on municipal administrations to identify and submit their principal points of interest and tourism potential so that these could be publicised and made available to prospective investors and operators interested in taking on their management.
Silva also underscored the importance of tour guides and interpreters, describing them as a pivotal link between visitors and tourist sites.
In that context, she urged the Provincial Association of Tour Guides and Interpreters to take a more active role in welcoming visitors, organising tourism experiences, and promoting the province's attractions.
The deputy governor encouraged forum participants to table the sector's difficulties and proposals, with a view to jointly identifying solutions that would improve tourism activity across Namibe.
She further argued that tourism forums should no longer be held only on the occasion of World Tourism Day, but should instead become a regular practice of coordination among all actors in the sector.
Silva reaffirmed that Namibe has the potential to establish itself as a reference tourism destination in both the domestic and international markets, calling for a concerted effort to improve the province's image and tourism offering.
The technical forum brought together public administration officials, tourism operators, tour guides, association representatives, traditional authorities and other stakeholders connected to the sector.
Source: ANGOP / Original article: https://www.angop.ao/noticias/turismo/defendida-maior-participacao-do-sector-privado-no-desenvolvimento-do-turismo/
