09 Apr 2026

The Ministry of Tourism and Environment has not increased any user fees for the tourism sector. This was revealed by Minister of Tourism and Environment, Mr Wynter Mmolotsi when responding to a question in Parliament on Wednesday. 

Minister Mmolotsi said consultations with the sector had been done to ensure that their views were incorporated into the final product.  “As stated earlier, there has not been any abrupt increase in fees. The process of reviewing the user fees is ongoing through a consultative process. As stated above all these were considered during the consultations and the final proposed fees will incorporate the concerns and guidance of the stakeholders,” the minister said. 

He also said the country’s governance was premised on the principle of morero as a cornerstone for development. To that end, Mr Mmolotsi emphasised that the ministry recognised the importance of stakeholders in driving policy and would continue to engage them frequently in a transparent manner on any proposed changes in policy direction. 

Minister Mmolotsi was responding to a question from Member of Parliament for Okavango East, Mr Gabatsholwe Disho, who wanted to know factors that informed the sudden and significant increase in prices and rates across the tourism sector, and why such changes were implemented without adequate notice or stakeholder consultation. 

Mr Disho also wanted to know whether the minister had assessed the potential impact of such abrupt price hikes on the sustainability and competitiveness of the tourism industry, particularly for operators, employees and communities that depended on it. 

He further asked whether the ministry appreciated that the abrupt policy and pricing changes created uncertainty for tourism operators and clients, disrupted forward bookings and investment planning. Additionally, the legislator wanted to know what measures were being taken to mitigate the negative consequences and restore confidence in the sector. ENDS