Full marks for Corona measures

It’s actually no news. Because BüllsPort has been doing everything to protect its guests and employees from Corona for more than a year. The only new aspect is that an independent institution has checked the measures on the basis of detailed criteria…

Sanitiser dispenser at the entrance, mask covering mouth and nose, keeping distance when dealing with guests – all of this is part of the extensive Corona measures of BüllsPort Lodge & Farm. Not just since July 2021, but already since May 2020. At that time, at least Namibians were allowed to travel again after the week-long lockdown in Namibia.

Official Corona certificate

Now, Eco Awards Namibia has put BüllsPort’s “Corona readiness” through its paces. Founded in 2004, so to speak as “Eco MOT” for accommodations, later also for tour operators, the independent institution Eco Awards Namibia also carries out inspections in other areas.

When programme coordinator Hazel Milne arrived, owner Johanna Sauber and manager Senanelo “Sunny” Moyo felt confident. Nevertheless, they had not expected the grade of the assessment. In each of the four audited categories (reception and public areas, restaurant/bar and kitchen, room cleaning and general guidelines of the WHO), she and her team received the highest possible number of points. Overall rating: 100%.

Rooms stay empty for a day

This came as a beneficial confirmation of their work, which was guided by the Corona “Toolkit” of the Namibia Tourism Board from May 2020. The NTB had compiled a comprehensive catalogue of Corona measures set up worldwide and tailored them to the conditions in Namibia.

“Before Corona we sat at dinner with the guests at the same table,” explains Johanna Sauber. “Now we serve the food at individual tables, as is customary in lodges. However, we continue to maintain personal contact with our guests, for example over coffee and cake or during sundowner, but just with a little distance.” Adds Sunny Moyo: “We have reduced the number of bookable rooms. So we can leave them empty for at least one day before we allocate them to the next guests.”

Employees vaccinated

“The most important thing for us, however, was to inform our employees about the Corona virus,” says Johanna. “And about how they can protect themselves. We are pleased that everyone has decided to get vaccinated. Of course we helped with registrations and transports to the nearest vaccination centre.”

By the way, in that respect BüllsPort is no exception: tourism companies are absolute vanguards in vaccination in Namibia. Probably also because they trace the developments in the countries of origin of their guests. But above all because they can afford closure and quarantine even less than other companies.