Namibia recorded a significant increase in passenger traffic to 514,533 in 2023, marking its highest point since 2019 across international, regional, and domestic flights, according to official figures.
According to official data released by Simonis Storm, the total number of departures recorded for the same period stood at 499,398, showcasing a robust outbound travel trend.
The majority of the passenger traffic was recorded at Hosea Kutako International Airport (HKIA), with Walvis Bay Airport and Eros Airport following in terms of activity.
Simonis Storm Researcher Halleluya Ndimulunde said the figure not only signifies Namibia’s growing prominence as a departure point but also reflects the increasing outbound tourism activities of its citizens.
“Initial indicators suggest that the local tourism and hospitality industry is continuing its recovery. In January 2024, occupancy rates at hospitality establishments nationwide remained higher than those before the pandemic, though they were slightly below the levels seen in January 2023,” she said.
Ndimulunde noted that particularly, the room occupancy rates at nationwide establishments were at 36.8% in January 2024, compared to 39.0% in December 2023 and 37.1% in January 2023.
Meanwhile, in the first month of the year, coastal regions emerged as the most sought-after holiday destinations, boasting an occupancy rate standing at 55.39% above pre-COVID levels, the highest among all regions.
Ndimulunde attributed the improved activity to the preference of many individuals choosing to celebrate their New Year’s festivities in coastal areas.
“This trend aligns with the pattern of individuals opting to vacation after the festive season, likely due to reduced crowding during this period and a corresponding drop in holiday accommodation rates,” she added.
Following coastal regions were central areas with a 47.1% occupancy rate, southern areas with 33.8%, and northern areas with 29.8%
Nationwide, approximately 92.3% of establishments were occupied for leisure purposes in January, a decrease from 96.7% in December 2023.
Business-related occupancy rose to 7.7% (from 3.2% in December 2023), with central areas being the preferred destination.
Conference-related occupancy, however, dropped to 0.02% from 0.13% in December 2023, with central areas remaining the main destination.
“In January 2024, the percentage of Namibians visiting hospitality establishments fell to 24.9%, down from 33.0% in December 2023 and 29.6% in January 2023. This decline is consistent with the usual post-holiday normalisation of travel,” she said.
The firm highlighted that a significant portion of visitors came from German-speaking countries, as well as France and Italy.
Specifically, visitors from Germany, Switzerland, and Austria made up 35.2%, an increase from 27.3% in December 2023 and 31.6% in January 2023.
Other sources of visitors included South Africa at 8.0%, the USA and Canada at 3.2%, France at 3.3%, Benelux at 4.1%, the UK and Ireland at 3.0%, Asia at 2.2%, and other European countries at 4.5%.
Ndimulunde said visitors from the remaining countries contributed less than 2% to the total visitor share.
By the end of 2024, international tourism is projected to rebound to nearly 90% of its pre-pandemic levels.
