Tourism resilient despite challenges 0 Although tourism is one of the most resilient industries in the country at the moment, it does not mean that the sector does not face many diverse challenges. Speaking on the commemoration of World Tourism Day yesterday several stakeholders in the industry expressed their views on the challenges and opportunities that the sector faces. The theme for the day was ‘Tourism for All - Promoting Universal Accessibility’.
Some of the major challenges raised were with regard to the demand for bed occupancy, road infrastructure and service delivery in Namibia.
The director of tourism and gaming in the tourism ministry, Sem Shikongo, said tourism is one of the pillars of economic growth and one of the few industries that contribute directly to poverty alleviation and economic development in rural areas.
He said while the country is facing uncertainty due the prolonged drought and strict trade requirements in the agricultural sector, tourism remains resilient and perhaps even immune to major setbacks.
“Visitors are ever increasing and today we boast with 1.5 million total foreign arrivals of which 1.3 million are tourists. This shows we are doing something right even though there is still room for improvement.”
According to Shikongo domestic tourism is still a challenge for Namibia and more should be done to draw local and regional tourists.
“Our people simply do not travel and I do not think it is due to affordability but smaller aspects that are not appealing or conducive to us.”
He said international tourists make up the majority of the peak tourism season and that leaves a prolonged low season to deal with.
He said only 4% of the total beds in Namibia are in the rural areas, and that includes conservancies. It was noted that with an increasing number of travellers visiting rural areas there is also a larger demand for beds in these areas and therefore this must be addressed.
“As we increase the number of tourists to the country there are more pressure on our roads and more demand on our beds,” said Shikongo.
He also pointed out that tourism establishments, especially in the rural areas, are not disability friendly and should be made more accessible for everybody.
The chairperson of the Federation of Namibian Tourism Associations (Fenata), Bernd Schneider, said Namibia has become more accessible to travellers through air links and bilateral agreements on visa requirements.
“Namibia is going in the right direction to make it easier for people to visit.”
But Schneider pointed out that there are infrastructural challenges that Namibia should address, especially with regard to tourism routes that need to be upgraded.
Schneider also brought up the challenges that are being experienced with bed occupancy in Namibia and said the demands of tourists need to be investigated, especially at upper-income and middle-income establishments.
According to him service in the sector is another challenge and training is necessary in the hospitality industry, especially in the rural areas. Training facilities and funding are necessary in this regard.
“Tourism in Namibia has the potential to be one of the most sustainable ways to alleviate poverty but we have to manage it properly,” he said. “It is the ticket to a better life for all Namibians.”
Rebekka Amadhila of the Namibian Tourism Board spoke about the importance of digital and social marketing and said about 80% of travellers now make use of online booking.
She said there is a perception that it is not affordable for Namibians to travel within the country and therefore a campaign promoting domestic tourism was started.
Currently 40% of beds are occupied by Namibians. She encouraged tourism establishments to start with digital marketing, saying that traditional marketing is dying out and that online marketing is affordable and can reach a large audience. “To ignore this fast-growing market is to risk extinction,” she warned.