Minister of Environment, Forestry and Tourism, Indileni Daniel, says Namibia will begin aggressively marketing itself as a preferred tourist destination in Asia, the Middle East (specifically the UAE), and North America as part of efforts to diversify its tourism markets.
Speaking during her motivation for the 2025/2026 budget allocation under the Appropriation Bill, Daniel said the Namibia Tourism Board (NTB) would spearhead this initiative despite ongoing fiscal constraints.
“Despite the financial challenges, the Namibia Tourism Board plans to explore new markets such as Asia, the Middle East (UAE), and North America to market Namibia as a preferred tourist destination,” she said.
This comes as Namibia’s main tourism markets remain Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, France, and Belgium, driven by interest in nature, wildlife, and adventure tourism.
She said the initiative forms part of the Ministry’s Programme: Tourism Growth and Development and Gaming Regulation, which has been allocated N$51,255,000.
The programme aims to create a “conducive and enabling environment for the sustained growth of the tourism and gaming industries so that it contributes to the socio-economic development of the country,” said the Minister.
Daniel highlighted that the tourism sector is showing strong signs of recovery following the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The implementation of Namibia’s Tourism Sector Recovery Plan 2022–2024 recorded notable achievements, especially the re-emergence of the tourism industry,” she noted.
According to the latest Tourist Statistical Report, tourist arrivals surged from 169,565 during the pandemic to 863,872 in 2023.
In further efforts to strengthen the sector, the Ministry will formulate a National Spatial Tourism Development Master Plan, review the National Tourism Policy, and develop a new Tourism Act.
She said these initiatives aim to enhance the investment climate, diversify tourism offerings, and ensure long-term sustainability.
“The development of a modern Tourism Act and the review of the existing policy framework are necessary to attract and encourage new investments while ensuring product diversification,” Daniel said.
The programme will also support the gaming industry, with plans to develop a National Gaming Policy and establish a National State Lottery.
“This will guide the development and management of the gaming sector and contribute to State revenue while advancing national causes,” the Minister said.
