Travel News - Industry News - Namibia Tourism Expo 2010
“I know we say that Expo is growing each and every year, but it happens to be true! This year we have 440 participants, quite an increase from last year’s 360,” says Glenda Manthe-Grobler, one of the main organisers of the annual Namibia Tourism Expo.
The Expo takes place from 2–5 June this year. Organised by the Republikein newspaper with the support of Namibian tourism organisations and the Namibian Tourism Board, it is the biggest tourism-marketing and -networking opportunity on the Namibian calendar.
“This year, we are expecting more than the usual from exhibitors.” Apart from the Botswana Tourism Board, High Commission and about 14 tour operators and accommodation establishments from Botswana, there will also be representatives from the Zambia Tourism Board, Zimbabwean Tourism Board and a large number of tourism establishments from South Africa. The Northern Cape Tourism Authority, Limpopo Wildlife Resorts, Cape Winelands and Western Cape Tourism Board are some of the ones that will be representing our southern neighbour. The Namibian Tourism Board is also hosting a large number of international trade and media representatives who will be present at Expo.
Outside areas “There will be a lot of hype in the outside areas,” says Glenda. The Ministry of Environment and Tourism will celebrate World Environment Day on 5 June just outside the President’s Hall; Camelthorn Breweries will host a Winter Beer Festival; and the Meatco Bush Kitchen will do some exciting outdoor cooking. Expect surprises from the Chef’s Theatre; the Douglas Green outdoor wine lounge; Namibia Breweries’ Urbock and Oyster stall; camel and horse rides; sun gazing and telescopes from Solna (Space Observation Learning Namibia); a ten-metre-high climbing wall; mixing cocktails; children’s playground, and much more. The outdoor areas will also showcase interesting landscaping possibilities, and SMEs and visual artists will offer unique artwork for lodges and other businesses.
Food-wise, the Expo will offer a little bit of everything. Along with the usual restaurants, tourism representative Rebekka Hidulika will be serving mopane worms at her Fusion Restaurant stand. “The renamed Culinary and Organic Hall will feature many new faces from NOA (Namibia’s Organic Association), giving an organic twist to our food section.” The Gourmet Hall has also been reorganised “…to create more flavour and flair”.
All exhibitors will receive their own personal radio, from where they can tune in to the Expo Radio station (found on 99.5 fm) and listen to interesting bird calls and animal sounds, “…to make people aware of the sounds we find in the Namibian bush”, exhibitor broadcasts, information and announcements.
Another exciting initiative from Glenda and her team is that of the scarecrows (not the same ones made for the Namlish.com competition) that will be found all over the Windhoek Showgrounds, holding signage to different halls and exhibitions. A Namibian Marimba Band will entertain crowds, and “…a lot of exhibitors will do their own entertainment”.
The aim with Expo is to create local awareness about the vitality of the tourism sector and to showcase Namibia to the rest of the world as a tourist destination. As in previous years, the first day will be for trade only and the following three days will be open for the general public. (MvR)
Exciting initiatives from figureheads of the industry
• Namibia Tourism Board This year the Namibia Tourism Board hopes to welcome up to 90 product managers and decision-makers from the tourism trade, both internationally and regionally, as well as trade media, to visit Namibia before, during and after the Namibia Tourism Expo. These delegates will pay a visit to the Namibia Tourism Expo, and Namibian Exhibitors will be able to showcase their products to the trade from Europe, the USA, South Africa, Asia, Angola and other SADC countries. The delegation will consist of various groups. In co-operation with local partners from the tourism industry, they will have the opportunity to experience Namibia through different familiarisation trips.
The NTB will furthermore focus on the promotion of Namibia to Namibians, so locals can explore their own country. Domestic Tourism is a very important sector of the industry, and special offers for Namibians will again be promoted during the Expo. Various competitions will take place on the stand. More focus will be on World Cup 2010 and on the promotion of Namibia around the World Cup. As South Africa is receiving people from throughout the world, and South Africans want to escape the hustle and bustle during this time, it can be expected that there will be a significant influx of South Africans visiting Namibia during the World Cup period.
The Namibia Tourism Board (NTB) was formed by an act of Parliament as a statutory body, responsible for bringing together both the private and public sector in implementing the national policy on tourism. • Wilderness Safaris At last year's Expo, Wilderness launched We are Wilderness, a publication that highlighted through individual stories and facts the different aspects of Wilderness Safaris operations from partnerships with communities to training to its support for NGOs, including Children in the Wilderness and Save the Rhino Trust.
At this year's Expo, Volume 2 of We are Wilderness and the new Partners in Wilderness will be released. Those featured in these publications will be at the Wilderness Safaris stand to share their experience in tourism, community development and conservation.
Wilderness Safaris will offer SADC specials, opportunities to meet the staff behind We are Wilderness, partners in communal conservancies, Children in the Wilderness, Save the Rhino Trust, Health and Wellness and The Wilderness Safaris Wildlife Trust.
Chris Bakkes will be at the Wilderness Safaris stand, where visitors can meet him and purchase signed copies of his books, including his latest release, Stoffel in Afrika. Tammie Matson will join Chris to sign copies of her books, Dry Water and Elephant Dance.
Visitors stand a chance to win a two-day safari with Wilderness partners Save the Rhino Trust at Desert Rhino Camp, as well as a two-day safari at Damaraland Camp. There will also be an opportunity to meet Sefofane Air Charter pilots to learn more about aviation in Namibia, Amingo Honneb, Chairman of the Doro !Nawas Conservancy, and acclaimed photographer, Olwen Evans, to find out more about an exciting four-day photo workshop at Doro !Nawas Camp.
Wilderness Safaris is a conservation organisation and ecotourism company dedicated to responsible tourism throughout the areas in which it operates in Southern Africa. The 26-year-old company operates camps and safaris in Botswana, Namibia, Malawi, South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe and the Seychelles
• Namibia Wildlife Resorts Namibia Wildlife Resorts (NWR) is sponsoring the prizes for an Inter-High School Careers in Tourism Fair, an initiative by Namlish.com, which is also held in close co-operation with Namibia Democratic Holdings (NDH). The short-term goal of the competition is to create awareness of the Namibian tourism industry and give the teens an insight into possible long-term career opportunities. The aim is thus to encourage the youth to explore and research career opportunities within the Namibian tourism industry.
About 50 schools participated in this competition, which consisted of a Scarecrow Building contest based on possible careers in tourism. The winners will be announced at the Namibia Tourism Expo. NWR has availed N$50 000 and an opportunity to win cash for individual and/ or group entrants and a cash incentive for the school that the entrants attend.
Namibia Wildlife Resorts is a state-owned enterprise, mandated to run the tourism facilities within the protected areas of Namibia. Its only shareholder is the Government of the Republic of Namibia; hence, it belongs to the Namibian people. • Namlish.com Namlish.com is hosting the first inter-high-school scarecrow-building competition Namibia has ever seen, and all the scarecrows entered will be exhibited at the Tourism Expo. All the learners had to do to stand a chance of winning, was to build a life-size scarecrow that depicts any career related to the tourism industry. And the response was phenomenal. With more than 50 entries from 20 different high schools in Namibia, it will be a sight not to be missed at this year’s Expo. It will be the first time that the youth of Namibia is involved in the Tourism Expo on this scale.
The aim of the competition was to expose the youth of Namibia to the tourism industry and to promote career options available in a unique, fun and entertaining manner. The idea was not to spend a lot of money creating a scarecrow, but rather to make use of what’s available, such as wire, scrap metal, grass, wood, old newspapers, old clothes, bottles and cans.
The winning scarecrow will be auctioned by FENATA at the Tourism Expo and all other scarecrows will be sold after the exhibition. All funds received will be used to buy computers for schools in Namibia identified by Namlish.com.
Namlish.com is an online newspaper for the youth of Namibia and acts as the youth portal of Democratic Media Holdings. All Namlish.com projects are directed to the development, encouragement and motivation of Namibian youth.
• Namibian Chefs Association
Pizzas are without a doubt the fastest-growing food trend in the world.
It therefore comes as no surprise that Windhoek is hosting a challenge
as well. The Namibian Chefs Association will once again be present at
the Namibian Tourism Expo 2010, hosting this exciting competition. The
pizza competition will be held in the following four categories:
Poultry/Meat, Seafood, Vegetarian and Specialty/Dessert. The competition
is open to any person, professional or otherwise, including
pizza-serving establishments. Pizzas will be judged on originality,
balance and creativity, as well as an excitement factor. Rene Graf from
Hotline sponsored some of the equipment and ovens, together with the
Namibian Chefs Association.
Formed in 1986, the Namibian Chefs Association promotes this profession
and common interests such as training, boosting of Namibian talent,
Namibian cuisine and professional work ethics in all its ranks.
