Only 4% of NWR visitors are Namibians

Merely 4% of Namibians visited Namibia Wildlife Resort (NWR) facilities over the past year.

In response to these low numbers, NWR is proactively taking steps to encourage Namibians to explore their country's tourism hotspots.

The organisation said despite concerted efforts to promote domestic tourism, the majority of visitors to NWR facilities remain Europeans, with a significant number hailing from Germany.

NWR spokesperson Nelson Ashipala voiced the organisation's concern but said with proactive measures, they are optimistic for increased local engagement.

"We are disappointed that more Namibians have not embraced the opportunity to explore the beauty of their own country through travel. While we welcome and appreciate our European visitors, we believe that local tourism is an essential component of our industry's success."

Budget conscious

Ashipala highlighted the proactive measures NWR is taking to encourage domestic tourism.

"We understand that travel is a significant investment, and to make it more accessible for Namibians, we currently have special promotions running. These exclusive offers are tailored to entice our fellow citizens to experience the unparalleled beauty and hospitality our resorts have to offer. The SADC special is one of these."

He said NWR invites Namibians to take advantage of these special offers and rediscover the wonders within their own borders.

Tourism statistics

Between November 2022 and November this year, a total of 511 984 tourists visited NWR resorts, with a sizeable number of about 35 013, or about 7% of visitors from Germany.

Among the total visitors, 22 622 were Namibian luxury travellers, according to NWR, equating to 4% of local guests.

South Africa's market has shown resilience, contributing 90 296 guests to their resorts.

NWR has also started to observe an uptick in interest from the Botswana tourism market, with 394 guests having visited their facilities.

"The organisation remains committed to fostering a vibrant local tourism sector that benefits both communities and the nation's economy,” Ashipala noted.