Namibia is stepping up efforts to grow intra-African tourism through targeted business-to-business engagements, familiarisation trips and strategic airline partnerships aimed at positioning the country as a preferred destination for travellers across the continent.
Speaking at a B2B session hosted by the Namibia Tourism Board (NTB) and initiated by South African Airways (SAA) Namibia, SAA Country Manager Wilhelmine Kandjou said the initiative followed a familiarisation trip for African travel agents and tour operators.
“The main objective of the B2B session follows a familiarisation trip to Namibia, where we invited African agents and tour operators from Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Ghana, the Democratic Republic of Congo, South Africa and Botswana,” Kandjou said.
She explained that the operators were invited to experience Namibia first-hand through a multi-day tour before engaging local operators to develop joint travel packages.
“We invited them to meet local tour operators and agents to network and collaborate in putting packages together. When they return home, they can promote Namibia as a leading holiday destination,” she said.
Kandjou added that SAA partnered with hospitality groups and tourism stakeholders to strengthen destination marketing efforts following a webinar hosted in December last year, with the latest session focused on networking and connecting African operators with their Namibian counterparts.
NTB Head of Marketing Charmaine Matheus said the focus on African source markets aligns directly with the board’s strategic priorities.
“The fact that we are really focusing on Africa is an exciting development for us, because intra-African travel continues to be a key strategic priority for our organisation,” Matheus said.
She emphasised that experiential travel, particularly centred on culture and heritage, is increasingly driving tourism demand.
“It’s one thing to tell somebody about a destination, but it’s completely different for that person to come and experience it themselves,” she said.
Matheus noted that feedback gathered through surveys at Hosea Kutako International Airport indicates that travellers are seeking deeper cultural engagement.
“One of the key things we picked up is that people want to come for experiences, especially our heritage and culture,” she said.
From an investment perspective, Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board (NIPDB) Investment Executive Ndapewa Hangula said tourism remains a priority sector due to its employment potential and cross-sector economic impact.
“Tourism is one of the sectors that has absorbed employment in the past and will continue to do so in the country,” Hangula said.
She highlighted Namibia’s positioning as a meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) destination, supported by logistics connectivity through international airports and regional corridors, as well as the introduction of a digital nomad visa allowing visitors to live and work in Namibia for up to six months.
“This visa allows visitors to come to Namibia, continue working remotely and at the same time travel across the country,” Hangula said.
She added that Namibia is strengthening collaboration across the continent to develop cross-border tourism packages and more seamless travel offerings.
“We are collaborating as Africa, welcoming each other into our countries and creating integrated travel packages for potential visitors,” Hangula said.
