Namibia recorded a 98.1 percent increase in international/inbound tourist arrivals, rising from 232,756 in 2021 to 461,027 last year, as indicated by the 2022 Tourism Arrival Statistical Report released Tuesday.
Speaking at the report’s launch, Minister of Environment, Forestry, and Tourism Pohamba Shifeta said that there was a 28.9 percent recovery level for the 2022 tourist arrival statistics.
“With the sector’s recovery gaining momentum, the ministry encourages destination managers, tour operators, and all relevant stakeholders to develop new products, routes, and additional destinations. This will enhance the visitor experience and make ‘Destination Namibia’ more appealing to repeat visitors,” he stated.
The top ten tourist source markets in 2022 were South Africa, Angola, Germany, Zambia, Botswana, France, the United Kingdom, the United States, Italy, and Switzerland. “Travel season data revealed that 53.1 percent of tourists traveled between September and December, 36.1 percent between May and August, and 10.8 percent between January and April,” said the report.
Shifeta also emphasized that Namibia’s tourism sector has the potential to benefit from opportunities within the domestic and inter-regional markets. Therefore, it’s crucial to increase the country’s marketing efforts to boost demand for travel among locals and regional markets, aiming for robust and sustainable tourism.
The ministry is currently implementing the Tourism Sector Recovery Plan, which outlines a framework for policy interventions and strategic programs to support each stage of the recovery phase, according to the official.
