Hope for tourism sector as arrivals increase

After a severe decline in tourism following the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, Namibia recorded 270 644 foreign arrivals in 2021, a substantial increase of 29% from the 192 026 in the previous year.

Meanwhile, the number of tourists who visited Namibia increased to 232 756 in 2021, up 27.1% from the previous year’s 169 565 visitors.

This was announced yesterday by tourism minister Pohamba Shifeta when he launched the Tourist Statistical Report for 2021.

The report indicated that of the 270 644 foreign arrivals Namibia received last year, tourist arrivals accounted for 86% of that total, followed by same-day visitors at 10.6%, while returning visitors accounted for 0.9% and other categories accounted for 2% and 1.5% respectively.

The largest number of tourist visitors in 2021 came from South Africa (109 303), Germany (21 919), Zimbabwe (18 778), Zambia (16 427) and Botswana (9 455).

According to the report, in 2021, overseas tourist arrivals observed an increase of 17.9% from 2020. This group made up 30.1% (70 074) of the total tourist arrivals.

Key market

“The African and European markets gained a noticeable growth from the previous year, revealing a respective 45.2% and 29.7% change in comparison to 2020.

“North America brought 0.2% less tourist arrivals compared to last year. With regard to 2021, the African market brought in about 69.9% of total tourist arrivals to Namibia - of which most of them came from SADC countries. Europe, on the other hand, brought in 25.3% of tourist arrivals,” the report read.

The statistics further showed that South Africa remained a key African market to Namibia, bringing in about 53% of total tourist arrivals in 2021.

“Angola, which usually forms part of the top African countries contributing to tourist arrivals in Namibia, did not make the cut this year because of the closure of its borders, aimed at combatting the Covid-19 pandemic.”

Moreover, there was an increase in the average length of stay in Namibia to 24 days. This compared to 19 days in 2020.

Ports of entry

The highest share of tourist arrivals came through the Hosea Kutako International Airport, making up 37.7% of the total, while 34.2% came through southern border posts.

Travel by road continued to prevail as the mode of travel mainly used by tourists when entering Namibia, with about 57.5% of total tourist arrivals coming by road. On the other hand, travel by air constituted 42.3% of arrivals. Airlink (50.1%), Ethiopian Air Airlines and Eurowings (10.7%) were the major airlines that brought tourists to the country. Only 0.2% of tourists arrived by sea.

Furthermore, Air Namibia brought in 0.2% of total tourist arrivals in 2021 before its operations were halted and it was consequently liquidated.

Shifeta said although the number of tourist arrivals is not at the level it was before the pandemic in 2019, an increase such as this gives improved hope that the sector is on its way to recovery.

Predictions indicate that foreign arrivals for this year can be expected to be around 509 456, with 423 733 being tourist arrivals.

Targeted interventions

The ministry has developed a tourism recovery plan that sets out a framework for the tourism sector recovery process for the next three years, he said.

The plan provides targeted policy interventions, programmes and activities to restore and support the sector.

Shifeta said historically, Namibia has been reliant on international travellers, but experience has taught them in recent years that equal focus and priority should be given to domestic tourism to minimise undesirable influences from crises such as those brought about by global pandemics.

He also stressed the importance of providing good customer service at all points of service delivery, adding that without it, the tourism industry is "nothing".