Subject to the Policy on Tourism and Wildlife Concessions on State Lands 2007 there are three ways that concessions can be awarded in Namibia.  These are briefly outlined below: The direct award process:  This is where concessions are awarded to previously disadvantage communities living in or around protected areas. These communities may then operate these concessions or seek an joint venture partner, usually an experienced tourism operator to assist them. The tender process:  This is where a concession opportunity has been identified by Ministry of Environment and Tourism (MET) or there is more than one operator interested in the opportunity.  In these cases the opportunity will be tendered via an open, transparent and competitive process in order to determine the successful operator and get the best result for the community, environment and the State. Consideration of unsolicited applications:  When a proposed activity is highly innovative and contains a high degree of intellectual property then the concession can be awarded to an applicant for a set period.