The envisaged black empowerment policy of the government will also affect the tourism sector, but not at the expense of product quality and service standard. Speaking at the opening of tourism empowerment workshop in Windhoek on Wednesday, environment and tourism minister Malima said the government did not want a parallel empowerment tourism development that failed to compete against the established industry. It rather wanted empowerment partnerships. "There are those who argue that empowerment should be fast-tracked by means of legal instruments and regulations. Although this option may be very attractive to many lawmakers, I am strongly convinced that this should always be reserved as the last option," Malima told delegates. Getting even clearer he added: "The recourse to legal instruments is justifiable only if it is proven that the industry is reluctant to commit itself to creating socio-economic equity." Quoting form Article 32 (2) of the Constitution which deals with the power to enact legislation to advance previously disadvantaged Namibians, Malima said the workshop was the first step" in consulting stakeholders and developing" an empowerment framework.

The famous Sperrgebiet in the Diamond Area was declared a National Park, Cabinet announced this week. The area will receive a new name soon, pending Cabinet approval. The ministry of environment and tourism is to explore alternative means of financing essential park management and maintenance costs through revenues earned from tourism. After a 994 agreement with Named to give back 68% of the Sperrgebiet back the Namibian government, a land use plan was commissioned in 1999, how to develop and manage the area. It was funded by Denmark. The Sperrgebiet is one of the world’s 25 top globally recognized "biodiversity hotspots," with unique fauna and flora only occurring in the Sperrgebiet. Namibia, there fore had an obligation to protect the area as part of its commitments under the UN Convention of Biological Diversity, to which Namibia is a party, the media release from Cabinet chambers stated.