Accommodation occupancy drops in October
HAN warns of under-reported tourism impact
Occupancy rates drop in October
Namibia’s accommodation sector recorded a noticeable dip in performance in October, with national occupancy standing at 61.65%, a decline of more than 3% compared to the same month last year and over 8% lower than in 2019.
The Hospitality Association of Namibia’s (HAN) first draft review of October 2025 said the data signalled a softening in key market segments despite sustained international interest.
Gitta Paetzold, the CEO of HAN, said the latest figures show that the downturn is largely driven by a decline in the domestic and regional markets, with fewer Namibians and South Africans booking into registered accommodation establishments.
While Namibia’s core European source markets continue to dominate – and in some cases even exceed their 2019 levels – the absence of local travellers is shaping the overall slowdown.
Paetzold said a notable concern is the lack of reliable data on Namibian travellers who may be opting for unregistered or unlisted accommodation providers, such as private Airbnbs or informal self-catering units.
Without evidence of these alternative stays, Paetzold said that the data suggest a simple truth: that Namibians are travelling less.
She added that occupancy statistics, while widely used, represent just one element of the tourism value chain.
The broader industry encompasses transport, aviation, hospitality, gastronomy, suppliers, entertainment and logistics, forming a far deeper economic ecosystem than accommodation data alone can reflect.
Reporting gaps
Paetzold noted that at last week’s Travel Namibia Festival held in Windhoek, industry experts highlighted a stark discrepancy in the country’s official reporting.
While the most recent Tourism Satellite Account (2023) estimates tourism’s contribution to GDP at just 2%, updated assessments suggest the sector’s real economic impact – accounting for direct, indirect and induced spending – may be closer to 17% of Namibia’s entire economy.
Vital sector
This gap, Paetzold said, is widened by the number of operators who continue to function outside the regulated accommodation system, with their occupancy figures not captured in monthly industry reports nor reflected in tax records or national accounts.
As a result, both the performance and true value of Namibia’s tourism sector may be significantly under-reported.
She said that improved, modernised and expanded data-collection systems are essential if Namibia is to accurately measure the real weight of its tourism industry – an industry that financial analysts at Cirrus Capital recently described as the “engine of Namibia’s economy”.
She said HAN is calling for coordinated national efforts to ensure that the country’s tourism metrics reflect the full picture, enabling better planning, investment, and recognition of one of Namibia’s most powerful economic drivers.
Namibia’s accommodation sector recorded a noticeable dip in performance in October, with national occupancy standing at 61.65%, a decline of more than 3% compared to the same month last year and over 8% lower than in 2019.
The Hospitality Association of Namibia’s (HAN) first draft review of October 2025 said the data signalled a softening in key market segments despite sustained international interest.
Gitta Paetzold, the CEO of HAN, said the latest figures show that the downturn is largely driven by a decline in the domestic and regional markets, with fewer Namibians and South Africans booking into registered accommodation establishments.
While Namibia’s core European source markets continue to dominate – and in some cases even exceed their 2019 levels – the absence of local travellers is shaping the overall slowdown.
Paetzold said a notable concern is the lack of reliable data on Namibian travellers who may be opting for unregistered or unlisted accommodation providers, such as private Airbnbs or informal self-catering units.
Without evidence of these alternative stays, Paetzold said that the data suggest a simple truth: that Namibians are travelling less.
She added that occupancy statistics, while widely used, represent just one element of the tourism value chain.
The broader industry encompasses transport, aviation, hospitality, gastronomy, suppliers, entertainment and logistics, forming a far deeper economic ecosystem than accommodation data alone can reflect.
Reporting gaps
Paetzold noted that at last week’s Travel Namibia Festival held in Windhoek, industry experts highlighted a stark discrepancy in the country’s official reporting.
While the most recent Tourism Satellite Account (2023) estimates tourism’s contribution to GDP at just 2%, updated assessments suggest the sector’s real economic impact – accounting for direct, indirect and induced spending – may be closer to 17% of Namibia’s entire economy.
Vital sector
This gap, Paetzold said, is widened by the number of operators who continue to function outside the regulated accommodation system, with their occupancy figures not captured in monthly industry reports nor reflected in tax records or national accounts.
As a result, both the performance and true value of Namibia’s tourism sector may be significantly under-reported.
She said that improved, modernised and expanded data-collection systems are essential if Namibia is to accurately measure the real weight of its tourism industry – an industry that financial analysts at Cirrus Capital recently described as the “engine of Namibia’s economy”.
She said HAN is calling for coordinated national efforts to ensure that the country’s tourism metrics reflect the full picture, enabling better planning, investment, and recognition of one of Namibia’s most powerful economic drivers.
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