Namibia’s tourism, culture, creative industries (CCI) and sport sectors face significant barriers that are limiting growth, job creation and investment, according to sector leaders who spoke at the Namibia Public-Private Forum.
Key challenges highlighted include limited international air connectivity, poor road infrastructure, slow and inconsistent visa processes, inadequate funding and incentives, lack of production facilities, weak digital systems and unresolved land and permit issues.
Gys Joubert, CEO of Gondwana Collection Namibia, said the country’s tourism sector remains constrained by high flight costs and the under-utilisation of airports in Walvis Bay and Katima Mulilo.
He stressed the need for better airlift, improved road access and stronger international marketing under Brand Namibia.
“Brand Namibia should promote the country as a premier destination for tourism, sport and the creative industries. We could possibly benchmark with Rwanda, which is doing it successfully,” Joubert said.
He added that visa challenges were another major barrier. Short-stay visas within the KAZA region, MICE visas, and e-visa system failures,combined with understaffing at ports of entry,continue to hinder cross-border tourism and business travel.
Joubert recommended harmonised visa arrangements, such as a SADC Uni-Visa, to promote multi-destination travel.
“The main constraint facing the tourism sector is the availability and price of international flight tickets to Namibia. Other local airports in Walvis Bay and Katima Mulilo are under-utilised and have potential for upgrades,” he said.
In the creative industries, Tjuna Daringo, Vice-Chairperson of the Filmmakers Association of Namibia, said low media exposure, limited funding and the absence of incentives continue to restrict growth.
“Many projects depend on small grants or personal resources, while inadequate studios and post-production facilities force work to be outsourced to other countries,” Daringo said.
“Government should introduce incentives for creative projects, such as co-financing or cash rebates for the film sector, and duty or tax rebates on the importation of filming equipment.”
Cross-cutting issues raised across the sectors include unreliable data, bureaucratic inefficiencies, slow digitalisation, and unresolved land tenure concerns for tourism concessions, leaseholds and permits for creative projects.
The speakers proposed the creation of a public-private think tank to provide policy clarity and guide sustainable land use for sector development.
According to official data, the tourism sector contributed 1.6% to GDP and 5.4% of total employment in 2024, while arts, entertainment and other services contributed 1.5% to GDP in both 2022 and 2023.
The sport sector accounted for 1.0% of total employment in 2024.
The sector leaders emphasised that tackling these constraints could create tens of thousands of jobs and accelerate progress towards the objectives of Namibia’s Sixth National Development Plan (NDP6).
