The Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board (NIPDB) has secured a N$500,000 sponsorship from O&L Leisure towards the hosting of the Africa Hospitality Investment Forum (AHIF) 2024.
Announcing the sponsorship, O&L Executive Chairman and Managing Director of O&L Leisure, Sven Thieme, congratulated the NIPDB for facilitating the winning bid for Namibia, an achievement which he said highlights a collective commitment to showcase Namibia’s unique tourism potential on the international stage.
“The NIPDB shares O&L Leisure’s vision of positioning and marketing Namibia as a premium destination, offering world-class experiences. Together, we strive to bring Namibia’s rich culture, stunning landscapes, and exceptional hospitality to the forefront of the international tourism industry,” said Thieme.
In just five weeks, Namibia is expected to host over 300 hospitality industry investors, business leaders, government officials, and expert advisors from across the African continent, after the country won the bid last year, facilitated by the NIPDB, which also serves as the host partner in Namibia.
“As part of our diversification strategy, geared towards expanding the Namibian economy, tourism has been identified as a potential key driver for economic growth. With the high caliber of investors, hoteliers, and financiers coming to Namibia, we are very deliberate in leveraging the convening power of AHIF to showcase the investment opportunities in this sector, with a clear end goal of securing investments that enable a sustainable future for Namibians,” said NIPDB Chief Executive Officer, Nangula Uaandja.
She said the long-term benefits of successfully hosting the AHIF conference will contribute towards achieving Namibia’s strategic goal of becoming a business tourism destination, supported by the establishment of the Namibia Convention Bureau, which aims at branding and promoting Namibia as a MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) destination.
“We therefore welcome the support of our partners O&L Leisure, which is a demonstration of our shared goals to grow the economy sustainably and to unlock opportunities that make prosperity a reality for our people. It is also a pivotal example of public and private collaboration to support the government’s economic development agenda,” said Uaandja.
AHIF is known to be a premier investment forum that gathers the highest caliber of international hotel investors, making it the most influential conference of its kind in Africa.
It also plays a crucial role in driving investment into tourism projects, infrastructure, and hospitality development on the continent, thus having the potential to contribute towards reshaping Namibia’s tourism industry.
