Travel News - Industry News - 20 years after independence
“Without accurate statistics collected and analysed in a timely manner, we will be unable to capitalise on opportunities, identify possibilities and beat the competition.”
This statement, released by the Federation of Tourism Associations, FENATA, to celebrate two decades of independence, was central to an overview of the tourism sector in Namibia.
In the statement, FENATA CEO Jackie Asheeke said that tourism would be a steady income generator for the Namibian economy, provided certain important issues such as a bigger marketing budget for the Namibia Tourism Board to compete on an international stage and an update of the 2002 Tourism Satellite Accounting to reflect the necessarily statistical data, be released by the relevant government agencies.
With hard facts to base development strategies on, a solid legislative environment conducive to profitable tourism development and a sufficient budget to market the tourism product, the tourism sector will “continue to bring back the bacon for the country indefinitely”. Tourism statistics Tourism arrivals grew from 255 000 in 1993 to 931 000 in 2008. According to the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), Namibia is the fourth-fastest growing tourism destination out of 176 countries worldwide. In 1993, the sector employed 20 000 people, increasing to 74 000 direct and indirect jobs in 2006, with an annual turnover of N$7.1 million.
The decline in tourism did not hit Africa as hard as other regions, according to the WTTC. In 2008 figures were down 10%, but up 5% in 2009. Asheeke states that by the 2011 peak season, the sector should be fully recovered.
“In the near future there will be new and innovative tourism products on offer in communal conservancies, state concessions national parks and state protected areas, which will embrace eco-building strategies to make a small footprint in the pristine landscape in which they are developing.”
Visitors to communal conservancies grew from 30 000 in 1999 to over 100 000 in 2007. (For the complete report, visit www.fenata.com.na)
