Fewer Namibians visit hospitality establishments
• Economic concerns the primary obstacle
Despite business and conference tourism still lagging behind 2019 levels, growth potential remains significant, the report noted.
The percentage of Namibians who visited tourism businesses decreased to 23.1% in February, compared to 24.9% in January and 33% in February last year.
According to a report by Simonis Storm, in February, the Hospitality Association of Namibia (HAN) conducted a study involving 60 participants. The results indicated that economic concerns are the primary obstacle hindering the recovery of international tourism. However, the report emphasised that “tourism continues to be a vital driver of the local economy, holding considerable potential for generating employment across various skill levels”.
“We remain optimistic about tourism emerging as one of the most robust sectors of the Namibian economy in 2024,” Simonis Storm noted. It added that despite business and conference tourism still lagging behind 2019 levels, growth potential remains significant.
Camping is popular
Throughout February, 48 445 tourism establishment rooms were available.
The central area recorded the highest occupancy rate at 53.5%, followed by the coastal areas at 40.6%, and the northern and southern areas at 31% and 32% respectively. In total, 100 940 beds were available nationwide, with an occupancy rate of only 31.7%.
On the flipside, “campsites in Namibia saw a marked increase in occupancy by Namibian and Southern African Development Community [SADC] visitors, with a total of 577 guests staying in February,” the report stated. This represents a substantial increase from the 22 recorded in January.
“The surge in visitor numbers contributed to a total of 202 campsite nights for the month, indicating a significant rise in the popularity of camping as an accommodation option among Namibian and SADC guests during this period.”
Additionally, it said 247 international guests occupied campsites in February, up from 49 in January, for a total of 130 campsite nights.
Leisure, business travel
Across the nation, around 94.3% of establishments were occupied for leisure purposes in February, marking an increase compared to February 2023.
Business-related occupancy remained moderate at 4.7%, while the conference-related occupancy rate dropped to 0.9% from 5.2% in February 2023.
In terms of regional preferences, the southern areas were the most preferred destinations for leisure purposes, while the central areas were primarily chosen for business and conference activities. The report was optimistic about an increase in the coming months, thanks to ongoing independence specials offered by Namibia Wildlife Resorts (NWR), including a 60% discount until the end of this month, and the upcoming public holidays.
Notable visitors
As usual, a notable portion of visitors - accounting for 61.5% - originated from Europe, showing an improvement from February 2023 figures.
Among these visitors, a significant proportion came from German-speaking countries, including Germany, Switzerland and Austria. South Africans constituted 5.8% of visitors, followed by Asians at 3.8% and North Americans at 2.8%.
Africa, the Middle East, South America and other parts of the world accounted for 1.4%, 0.2%, 0.82% and 0.56% respectively.
In January, 69% of respondents highlighted the economic environment as a major factor hindering international visitors from travelling to Namibia. Additionally, over half (55%) of respondents expressed concerns about higher transportation and accommodation costs impacting the tourism industry.
The report noted that geopolitical issues, including the war in Ukraine, were cited as concerns by 14% of respondents, while other geopolitical risks were flagged by 19% of respondents.
According to a report by Simonis Storm, in February, the Hospitality Association of Namibia (HAN) conducted a study involving 60 participants. The results indicated that economic concerns are the primary obstacle hindering the recovery of international tourism. However, the report emphasised that “tourism continues to be a vital driver of the local economy, holding considerable potential for generating employment across various skill levels”.
“We remain optimistic about tourism emerging as one of the most robust sectors of the Namibian economy in 2024,” Simonis Storm noted. It added that despite business and conference tourism still lagging behind 2019 levels, growth potential remains significant.
Camping is popular
Throughout February, 48 445 tourism establishment rooms were available.
The central area recorded the highest occupancy rate at 53.5%, followed by the coastal areas at 40.6%, and the northern and southern areas at 31% and 32% respectively. In total, 100 940 beds were available nationwide, with an occupancy rate of only 31.7%.
On the flipside, “campsites in Namibia saw a marked increase in occupancy by Namibian and Southern African Development Community [SADC] visitors, with a total of 577 guests staying in February,” the report stated. This represents a substantial increase from the 22 recorded in January.
“The surge in visitor numbers contributed to a total of 202 campsite nights for the month, indicating a significant rise in the popularity of camping as an accommodation option among Namibian and SADC guests during this period.”
Additionally, it said 247 international guests occupied campsites in February, up from 49 in January, for a total of 130 campsite nights.
Leisure, business travel
Across the nation, around 94.3% of establishments were occupied for leisure purposes in February, marking an increase compared to February 2023.
Business-related occupancy remained moderate at 4.7%, while the conference-related occupancy rate dropped to 0.9% from 5.2% in February 2023.
In terms of regional preferences, the southern areas were the most preferred destinations for leisure purposes, while the central areas were primarily chosen for business and conference activities. The report was optimistic about an increase in the coming months, thanks to ongoing independence specials offered by Namibia Wildlife Resorts (NWR), including a 60% discount until the end of this month, and the upcoming public holidays.
Notable visitors
As usual, a notable portion of visitors - accounting for 61.5% - originated from Europe, showing an improvement from February 2023 figures.
Among these visitors, a significant proportion came from German-speaking countries, including Germany, Switzerland and Austria. South Africans constituted 5.8% of visitors, followed by Asians at 3.8% and North Americans at 2.8%.
Africa, the Middle East, South America and other parts of the world accounted for 1.4%, 0.2%, 0.82% and 0.56% respectively.
In January, 69% of respondents highlighted the economic environment as a major factor hindering international visitors from travelling to Namibia. Additionally, over half (55%) of respondents expressed concerns about higher transportation and accommodation costs impacting the tourism industry.
The report noted that geopolitical issues, including the war in Ukraine, were cited as concerns by 14% of respondents, while other geopolitical risks were flagged by 19% of respondents.
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