Namibia’s national average occupancy rate improved to 54.8 percent in the first quarter of 2024, up from 43.4 percent in the same period last year and 54 percent in the second quarter of 2019, according to accommodation statistics released Friday.
The Hospitality Association of Namibia (HAN) Chief Executive Gitta Paetzold underscored the importance of these statistics as revealed in the national tourist statistical report for 2023, noting that “the tourism sector, to some extent, and the business travel sector have fully recovered since 2019.”
Despite this recovery, she acknowledged that overall border crossings have not yet returned to pre-pandemic levels. “Positive growth is reflected in our central European markets, in particular France, and Italy, and of course, the German-speaking countries of Germany, Austria, and Switzerland,” she noted, attributing the rise in occupancy to these regions.
The report, however, also revealed a notable decline in June 2024, historically a quieter month before the peak tourism season beginning in July.
“With an average occupancy rate of 47.3 percent in June, this represents a 3 percent drop from last year and a 4 percent drop from 2019,” Paetzold said, noting that this decrease might coincide with Namibia’s recent announcement of stricter visa regulations affecting key source markets starting next year.
“While it’s premature to predict the full impact of the new visa rules on our tourism sector, concerns are mounting within the industry,” said Paetzold, adding that uncertainty persists regarding the visa application process, the availability of multi-entry visas, and potential arrangements for day visitors.
Adding to these challenges are anticipated price hikes on long-haul flights from Europe driven by increased climate levies and taxes. Paetzold warned that these factors present significant challenges for Namibia’s tourism industry in the months ahead.
According to the report, Namibia saw an 87.4 percent increase in international tourist arrivals in 2023, rising from 461,027 in 2022 to 863,872.
