Travel and hospitality getting back on its feet
Accommodation establishments in Namibia recorded an overall occupancy rate of 37.09% in January 2023, almost 3% higher than January 2019.
CEO of the Hospitality Association of Namibia (HAN), Gitta Paetzold, says that 2023 is starting on a very positive note for tourism in Namibia.
"If the accommodation numbers for January are anything to go by, we are en route to full recovery and even growth in the travel and hospitality sector going forward."
In 2019, which is a normal pre-pandemic year for tourism, the occupancy rate was 34.04%.
It is also double the occupancy of January last year, a period that was still burdened by the effects of the Omicron corona-variant, when a rate of 19.5% was recorded.
Teamwork needed
Paetzold further says that in terms of the MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions) market, numbers in 2023 are still slightly lower than in 2019, with especially the conference sector contributing less than 1% to accommodation during January this year, compared to 6% in January 2019.
"Namibia is predestined to become a convenient MICE and events destination given the infrastructure in terms of accommodation, conference facilities, scope for incentives, adventure experiences, road infrastructure, telecommunications, and access," says Paetzold.
What is missing, however, is a concerted effort and coordinated effort by all stakeholders and role players to present and promote Namibia as the events destination of choice, she says.
"Namibia has what it takes, and now what it takes from both the public and private sectors is a commitment to showcase Namibia as an ideal target for investments, incentives, events, conferences, and conventions, as well as the leisure market."
Moving forward
Paetzold says that after the establishment of the Namibian Investment Promotion and Development Board and the establishment of a Convention Bureau to coordinate efforts would be the next crucial step to advance Namibia's potential.
According to the tourism ministry, Namibia received a total of 232 756 tourists in 2021, which is a notable 37.3% increase from the 169 565 tourist arrivals in 2020.
The ministry is entirely hopeful that 2022 tourist arrivals figures, once released, will reveal a substantial growth from 2021, it said.
CEO of the Hospitality Association of Namibia (HAN), Gitta Paetzold, says that 2023 is starting on a very positive note for tourism in Namibia.
"If the accommodation numbers for January are anything to go by, we are en route to full recovery and even growth in the travel and hospitality sector going forward."
In 2019, which is a normal pre-pandemic year for tourism, the occupancy rate was 34.04%.
It is also double the occupancy of January last year, a period that was still burdened by the effects of the Omicron corona-variant, when a rate of 19.5% was recorded.
Teamwork needed
Paetzold further says that in terms of the MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions) market, numbers in 2023 are still slightly lower than in 2019, with especially the conference sector contributing less than 1% to accommodation during January this year, compared to 6% in January 2019.
"Namibia is predestined to become a convenient MICE and events destination given the infrastructure in terms of accommodation, conference facilities, scope for incentives, adventure experiences, road infrastructure, telecommunications, and access," says Paetzold.
What is missing, however, is a concerted effort and coordinated effort by all stakeholders and role players to present and promote Namibia as the events destination of choice, she says.
"Namibia has what it takes, and now what it takes from both the public and private sectors is a commitment to showcase Namibia as an ideal target for investments, incentives, events, conferences, and conventions, as well as the leisure market."
Moving forward
Paetzold says that after the establishment of the Namibian Investment Promotion and Development Board and the establishment of a Convention Bureau to coordinate efforts would be the next crucial step to advance Namibia's potential.
According to the tourism ministry, Namibia received a total of 232 756 tourists in 2021, which is a notable 37.3% increase from the 169 565 tourist arrivals in 2020.
The ministry is entirely hopeful that 2022 tourist arrivals figures, once released, will reveal a substantial growth from 2021, it said.
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