Promoting Namibia to West Africa

ELLANIE SMIT







SOSSUSVLEI

A group of more than 25 Nigerians that included celebrities, destination management companies and business people last week had the opportunity to explore some of Namibia’s most pristine tourism attractions.

The ‘mega-tour’, jointly arranged by the Namibian High Commission in Lagos, Nigeria, home affairs ministry, Namibia Broadcasting Corporation (NBC), Namibia Tourism Board (NTB) and Namibia Wildlife Resorts (NWR), took place from 26 to 31 March.

According to the NTB, the aim of the tour was to educate and position Namibia to the West African region as an authentic and pristine travel destination and to showcase Namibia’s great success in the travel and tourism industry and the sustainable management of natural resources.

The objective was also to promote a working relationship between the trade partners of Nigeria and Namibia and to increase larger numbers of tourists from this region in line with government’s decision to promote intra-Africa travel.

NTB CEO Digu //Naobeb said an educational trip to Namibia was hosted before the outbreak of the coronavirus, which saw them hosting 14 operators and media from Nigeria who travelled across the country.

This resulted in one of the destination management companies packaging Namibia to Nigerian tourists. In the follow-up trip last week, Nigerian celebrity chef Abiola ‘Chef Stone’ Akanji and Nigerian Afropop singer, Yemi Alade, who shot a music video in Sossusvlei, visited the country.

Chef Stone and French-born Namibian chef David Thomas had a cook-off event at NWR’s Sossus Dune Lodge to showcase Namibian cuisine and culture.

Also on the trip was Edingyanga Uko from Travelkulture and Cecile Dumbe from CMD Tours, who shared their experiences on social media to encourage potential travellers to visit Namibia.

Experiencing Namibia

The group landed in Windhoek on 27 March and overnighted in Windhoek. There they had the chance to experience street cuisine in Katutura. The following day they headed to Okahandja and then to Otjiwarongo where they visited the crocodile farm.

After that, they went to the Erongo Mountain Winery, where they were given a wine tour and tasting and bought some Namibian-made wine and whiskey.

The following day the group left for Swakopmund and was split in two, with the business people staying behind in Swakop and the others proceeding to Sossusvlei. Here, activities consisted of going to Deadvlei for a sunrise breakfast and photoshoot, climbing the Sesriem Canyon and a cook-off.

Chef Thomas said the operation was a motivation between Namibia and Nigeria to promote Namibia to potential tourists and, therefore, they wanted to showcase a little of what Namibia is about through landscape and food.

According to Chef Stone, Namibia is one of the most beautiful places in the world. He said he enjoyed his time here and will definitely come back.

Keep pushing

//Naobeb said tourism currently faces dark times and national tourism boards across the world should not remain oblivious to that fact.

“The fact that the tourism industry currently is devastated and darkness falls upon it does not mean that we have to compromise on continuing our marketing activities.”

He said the pandemic has definitely forced the industry to be creative and innovative in its approaches.

“Traditional marketing strategies and the promotion thereof for destinations will no longer have a place in current circumstances.”

//Naobeb said as NTB they continue to push, and whenever they can, they keep the flag flying high and keep Namibia in the minds of hopeful travellers.

“We are a destination that offers great benefits with great diversity and scenic views and only the limitations of the horizon are our limitations. Namibia is boundless.”