Tourism takes centre stage

The first Creative Sport Tourism (CST) Expo brought together far more than three sectors. Over three days at Hage Geingob Stadium, Windhoek became a meeting point for ideas, experiences, businesses and people, demonstrating how tourism can connect creativity and sport while creating opportunities across the wider Namibian economy.

For the tourism leg of the Expo, Namport and NTB joined as co-partners, helping to showcase the diversity of Namibia’s tourism offering and opportunities for future growth.

Tourism was visible throughout the Expo. Cultural villages brought local traditions and communities into the heart of the event, while kapana stands and shebeens added an unmistakably Namibian flavour. Food, music, crafts and conversation allowed visitors to experience different aspects of Namibia in one place.

The conversations shaping tourism

The City is the Game: Building the Ultimate African Experience — Albe Botha

This workshop explored an immersive tourism concept using interactive challenges, clues, curated routes and experiences to encourage visitors to discover a city and its stories. The aim is to develop a model that can be piloted in one town, replicated across Namibia and eventually expanded into Southern Africa.

Beyond Bookings: What the Enjoy Platform Means for Namibia — Carli Abrantes, Eva-Rakel Johannes, Tjaard Venter and Simon Williams

The Enjoy Travel session explored how storytelling, multimedia exposure and strategic partnerships can move tourism marketing beyond accommodation listings, increasing visibility, connectivity and long-term growth.

Quality Catering for the Tourism Industry — Alice Rigoldi

Using Your Kitchen as an example, this session highlighted the role of professional catering in delivering quality, consistency and authenticity while creating opportunities for local suppliers and culinary entrepreneurs.

Promoting Namibia as a Destination for Mountaineering Tourism — Richard Morsbach and Friedrich Setzkorn

This workshop introduced participants to mountaineering, covering where to start, essential equipment and destinations, while highlighting its potential as an adventure tourism product.

Buy Local, Grow Namibia: Unlocking Tourism’s Multiplier Effect Across the Namibian Economy — Dagmar Honsbein, Ndatulumukwa Haikali, Sinamandla Kwepile and Gitta Paetzold

The session explored how tourism’s purchasing power can support the domestic economy through greater local procurement of food, textiles, crafts, entertainment and other creative products.

Showcasing Namibia’s Variety Tourism: Branding Namibia Beyond Wildlife — Patrick Sam and Othilia Tutu Mungoba

This session explored how adventure, culture, heritage, gastronomy, sport, aviation, luxury and community tourism can strengthen Namibia’s destination brand and attract new markets.

Digital Intelligence: Who Controls How AI Recommends Your Destination? — Martha Blum

As travellers increasingly use AI to research and plan trips, this workshop examined how tourism businesses can remain visible, trusted and recommended within an increasingly AI-driven visitor economy.

Building Namibia as a MICE Destination: Challenges and Opportunities — Mureal van Rooyen, Hilda Basson-Namundjebo and Too Pombili Ashipala

The session considered the infrastructure, policy and collaboration needed to position Namibia as a stronger Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions destination in Southern Africa.

The Tourism Sector: What It Means for the Economy and Its Potential — Carel Fourie and Elias Mwenyo

This discussion examined tourism’s wider economic contribution and its potential to support creative industries, sport, local businesses and entrepreneurs.

Visa Facilitation and Border Welcome: Enhancing the Visitor Experience — Mureal van Rooyen and Justine Shipanga-Gcilishe

The session examined visa facilitation, efficient border procedures and stronger government-industry collaboration to create a positive visitor experience from arrival to departure.

From Namibia’s Natural Diamonds to Love, Tourism and Community Impact — Michelle McLean, Nangula Nelulu Uaandja, Beverley Coussement, De Beers Representative and Diamond Board Representative

The Diamond Journey explored how Namibia’s diamond heritage could become a premium tourism experience, connecting provenance and craftsmanship with community impact and opportunities around engagements, weddings and honeymoons.

Namibia as a Cruise Ship Destination: Are We Ready? — Julia Muetudhana, Ramona Bowe and Elias Mwenyo

With Walvis Bay as a gateway to Southern Africa, this session considered cruise tourism readiness, current trends and the collaboration needed to maximise its economic and social benefits.

Namibia as an Astrotourism Destination — Dr Marc Klein Wolt, Zandré Duvenhage and Dr Sisco Auala

The session explored the potential of Namibia’s exceptional night skies as a tourism asset and the opportunities for developing astrotourism experiences.

Connecting the industry

The ESP Lounge provided a relaxed space to meet tourism businesses and discover experiences from across Namibia and the region. Enjoy Travel’s participating partners included Abenab Lodge, At Kronenhof Lodge, Hotel Thule, N/a’an ku sê Group, Norotshama River Resort, Otjibamba Lodge and The Farmhouse Boutique Guesthouse. South African Airways and Town Lodge were also represented alongside the Enjoy partners.

Ultimately, the CST Expo showed that tourism is not a standalone industry. It connects food with culture, technology with travel, sport with destinations, local businesses with visitors, and ideas with economic opportunity.

The opportunity is to build a tourism industry that does not simply showcase Namibia, but connects everything that makes the country worth discovering.