Namibia saw a slight increase in tourist arrivals in May 2024, with Europeans comprising the majority of visitors, according to the latest update from IJG Securities.
The report highlights that Europeans accounted for 63.5% of the tourist pool, underscoring their dominant presence in Namibia’s tourism sector.
“Europeans remain the largest share of tourists, accounting for 63.5% of the tourist pool,” the IJG report states.
Germany, Switzerland, and Austria were the largest groups within this demographic, making up 37.8% of the total tourists in May.
The report detailed the overall rise in passenger arrivals, noting, “48,874 passengers arrived in Namibia in May, a 5.2% month-on-month and 11.2% year-on-year increase.”
IJG said this figure represents the highest number of arrivals since November 2023 and the highest for May since 2017.
In addition to the substantial presence of German-speaking countries, IJG Securities also noted contributions from other European regions.
“Visitors from France made up 9.5%, and visitors from Benelux made up 5.8% of total tourists,” the report highlighted.
However, there was a noticeable decline in tourists from African countries, including Namibia itself.
“Visitors from African countries (including Namibia) decreased to 24.9%, from 29.08% in April,” IJG observed.
The firm said this decline was driven by a smaller share of Namibians visiting hospitality establishments, falling from 19.1% in April to 17.7% in May.
Meanwhile, North American tourists also showed an increase, accounting for 4.9% of the total tourist pool, their largest share since July 2021.
The IJG report provided an optimistic outlook for the Namibian tourism industry. Citing a recent McKinsey survey, IJG noted, “66% of the travellers surveyed said they are more interested in travel now than before the pandemic with many planning more trips in 2024 than in 2023.”
The survey highlighted that despite economic uncertainties, travel remains a priority, particularly among young travellers who are keen on international trips compared to baby boomers who prefer domestic travel.
The report also emphasises the potential for Namibia to benefit from this trend, especially as travellers from Germany, the United Kingdom, and the United States express a desire for experiences that allow them to “get away from it all.”
Looking ahead, Namibia is preparing to host the Aviation Development (AviaDev) Africa Conference and the African Hospitality Investment Forum in June.
The Hospitality Association of Namibia (HAN) alluded that Namibia stands poised to advance discussions on increasing air access and optimising its potential as a prime destination for sustainable investments, particularly in the MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences, and events) sector.
Despite the positive outlook, IJG and HAN also caution about potential challenges posed by legislation and inflation.
“Uncertainty about current travel and meeting restrictions, the risk of low attendance and event cancellations due to legislative changes, depletion of professional meeting staff from redundancies, and inflation driving up overall event production costs are significant concerns,” the report warns.
Despite the concerns, IJG remains optimistic about Namibia’s tourism prospects.
“Many travellers worldwide are planning more trips this year compared to last year, making it likely that Namibia will be among their destinations,” the report asserts, bolstered by the country’s entry into its peak season.
