Henties not just a fishing mecca
The coastal town of Henties Bay will be abuzz with activities over the festive season. Visitors will be treated to a touch rugby competition, a golf day and an angling competition.
Visitors can play a round of golf on 21 December while Hotel de Duine, Misty Bar and Skubbe Bar will have Christmas buffets on offer. The Penquin Angling Bonanza will be held on 26 December at the Sport Club as well as rugby and golf competitions. On 31 December, patrons can dance the night away at the Sport Club.
According to Estelle Rubow, tourism officer at the Henties Bay municipality, it is estimated that about 18 000 people will visit the town over the holidays.
Rubow urged tourists to adhere to the new regulations of the Dorob National Park.
“Enjoy your holiday and our coastal and desert environment responsibly – it is declared a national park in an attempt to try and protect the highly sensitive environment – please stay within the rules and respect other holiday makers,” she said.
According to the regulations which were announced last week, bikes and quad bikes may only access proclaimed roads, the central strip of the dunefield between Swakopmund and Walvis Bay,
Dolfynstrand and Langstrand as well as the river bed (between the north and south banks) of the lower Omaruru River – from the river mouth to a point five kilometres inland of the mouth.
Horse riding, bicycling, walking and jogging is also permitted anywhere in the park
except in demarcated areas including Damara tern breeding sites, lichen fields and private property. Sand boarding is permitted in the dunes in areas specifically designated for sand
boarding while paragliding is allowed on the western face of the Swakopmund-Walvis Bay
dunefield.
According to Pearl Grobler, vice-chairperson of the tourism association, Henties Bay is not just a small fishing town any more, and has attracted considerable investments over the years.
Such investments include the development of a golf resort and residential area which encompass 100 erven. This development is expected to diversify the town’s economic development and strengthen the tourism industry as it will include modern conference and hospitality facilities.
According to Grobler, 305 residential erven, nine for general business and four erven for the use of the local authority has also been made available in the Omdel area with the objective to create a township to accommodate all build-together beneficiaries and to re-locate informal settlers on proclaimed erven.
Namib Desert Trading and Omuhoongo Investment also recently received approval from the town council to establish two townships. Thirty hectares of undeveloped land was also given to Zillions Investment Holdings to establish two townships; Extension 11 and 12.
Grobler also asked tourists and local visitors to protect the environment at all cost and to enjoy the holidays responsibly.
“The purpose of the tourism association is to attract people to Henties Bay so that they can enjoy our beautiful ocean and peaceful and restful town. We would like that the visitors and residents take notice that we must all work together to keep the environment clean and protect our inheritance,” she said.
