Namibians accounted for less than 20% of guests in the tourism sector in 2024, a sharp decline from 26% in 2019, according to the Hospitality Association of Namibia (HAN).
This drop is attributed to rising economic pressures, which have limited domestic travel, prompting many Namibians to turn to informal tourism options such as Airbnb for more affordable alternatives.
In contrast, international tourism has shown resilience, with South Africans leading the pack, representing 32.49% of all arrivals in 2024. Tourists from other Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries followed at 25.77%, and European visitors, primarily from France (10.90%), continued to contribute significantly to Namibia’s tourism recovery.
HAN CEO Gitta Paetzold pointed out that the financial challenges faced by local travelers have driven many to seek out more budget-friendly options. Airbnb, along with other informal tourism services, has seen a noticeable uptick in offerings across the country.
“The increase in Airbnb and other informal tourism options may serve the Namibian market well, especially during challenging economic times,” Paetzold said.
Namibia’s tourism sector experienced a notable recovery in 2024, with national room occupancy reaching 54.48%, surpassing pre-pandemic levels and showing nearly a 3% increase from 2023. The Central region saw the highest room occupancy at 66.46%, while other regions—Coastal, Northern, and Southern—reported occupancy rates of 37%, 43.91%, and 43.68%, respectively.
Hotels were the leading accommodation type, with a 60% occupancy rate, followed by guest farms and self-catering units, each approaching 50%. Meanwhile, camping facilities remained a popular choice, especially for domestic and regional visitors, with SADC
While local tourism faced hurdles, international markets continued to propel the sector forward. Central Europe, particularly Germany, remained a dominant source market, buoyed by direct flights between Windhoek and Frankfurt. Paetzold also expressed optimism about the upcoming Windhoek-Munich route, set to launch in April 2025, which is expected to attract more visitors from southern Europe.
“The strong performance of the Central European market is directly linked to the easy access into Namibia through the direct airline connectivity between Windhoek and Frankfurt,” Paetzold said.
“It is imperative to add to Namibia’s air access capacity if we want to see arrival numbers grow in the future.”
