The Business and Intellectual Property Authority and stakeholders in the tourism sector are working on a project to embrace intellectual property strategies.
The project produced a roadmap for the implementation of these strategies to benefit the tourism sector.
The roadmap was produced at a meeting last week, which aimed at implementing adequate intellectual property (IP) services and strategies to promote local tourism and development. The meeting comes after a three-year special project on IP services.
The stakeholders were from the Namibia University of Science and Technology, the University of Namibia, the International University of Management, the Heritage Council, the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Industrialisation, Trade and SME Development.
One of the challenges the tourism sector, especially creative innovators face is that their products are copied because they are not protected. The Business and Intellectual Property Authority (Bipa) has the mandate and resources to advise the government on matters related to IP rights and should promote IP as a strategic tool for development.
Vivienne Katjiuongua, acting chief executive at Bipa, noted during the event that the government had identified intellectual property as a stimulus for economic growth through the creation of a distinctive and unique value in products and services.
“Competitiveness is an essential element for survival on the global playing field, and intellectual property is a tool through which competitive advantage is created,” she said.
The ministry of environment will act as the custodian for the implementation of the strategy, while the World Intellectual Property Organisation (Wipo) will sponsor the project.
“The government, in partnership with Wipo, undertook a three-year special project on IP, tourism and culture. The outcomes of the study define a clear roadmap for the implementation of adequate IP services and strategies to promote local tourism and local development, in line with the priorities and mandate of the project,” Katjiuongua stated.
The tourism sector has been identified as a priority sector for socio-economic development, and it had contributed N$5,2 billion directly, and N$15,1 billion indirectly, to the country’s gross domestic product in 2015.
“The industry supported over 100 000 jobs in the same period; and by 2020, tourism-related value-addition is expected to reach 11,7% of GDP, and create more than 123 000 jobs. To this end, the government recognises the role of intellectual property in the creation of value-added services in the tourism industry,” Katjiuongua added.
IP mechanisms support the strengthening and enhancing of competitiveness of tourism enterprises, and one such example is ‘destination branding’ – with local institutions like Namibia Wildlife Resorts and the Namibia Tourism Board playing a vital role in marketing the enormous potential of Namibia to the world.
“However, ‘destination branding’ should be supported by other vital intellectual property vehicles, such as trademarks, copyright, industrial designs, trade secrets and patents. This will support the Namibia-as-a-destination-brand that we want to market to the world, which in turn will attract more tourists, resulting in more employment and income for the country”, she added.
The former executive director of tourism, Malan Lindeque, who is also part of the IP project, said it is not the government’s fault alone that there is very little awareness on IP for the tourism sector. He added that information on the Bipa website is very clear on the entire IP regime in Namibia.
However, Lindeque added: “Namibia does not have a national strategy for the promotion of the protection of IP. It is unlikely that anything will change unless a more targeted approach is followed to promote awareness and use of IP tools”.
Story By Charmaine Ngatjiheue – The Namibian Newspaper