OPINIONS - COLUMNS | 2013-08-02Frieda ‘Faridah’ Nefungo
Marketing Namibia Through The Middle East
Frieda Nefungo
NAMIBIAN tourism ought to view the United Arab Emirates [UAE] as more than just a flashy place.
NAMIBIAN tourism ought to view the United Arab Emirates [UAE] as more than just a flashy place.
In choosing to do business in the UAE, you’d have stepped into one of the world’s foremost trading hubs. The United Arab Emirates is home to one of the fastest growing, dynamic and mega-cosmopolitans cities in the world, Dubai.
Here a diverse and multi-cultural society will open your doors. Its myriads of architectural beauties and remarkable landmarks, the world’s largest skyscrapers, man-made islands and some of the world’s most outstanding shopping malls might seem like the UAE are in themselves the final destination. Look beyond that.
Over 150 nationalities chose to make UAE their home; more than 10 million guests arrive here every year; and Dubai has established itself as a natural stop-over on the world’s major trading routes. The Namibian tourism industry should take note.
The native Emirates make up only nine percent of the population – foreigners complete the demographics, attracted by the employment and investment opportunities in UAE. Americans, Australians, British, Canadians, Chinese, Dutch, Filipinos, Germans, Italians, Kenyans, South Africans, Namibians have settled here for work.
Foreign experts living in the Emirates love travelling to Africa. Countries such as Kenya have become ideal holiday locations, especially because of the wildlife and natural outdoor life.
These expatriates need to be introduced to new holiday destinations, which makes Namibia the ideal place as it can offer safe self-drive itineraries and holiday packages to UAE residents and that will increase the numbers of tourists to Namibia.
Namibian tour operators should be more visible at several exhibitions with pavilions that are designed and branded to promote awareness of Namibia, and above all, to promote Namibia as a prime tourist destination.
Marketing Namibia in the UAE will create a massive new source of income for Namibian tour operators not just from the holiday-goers but also by using the caliphate as a communication channel to reach businesspeople who travel through as well as beaming the messages to the rest of the world.
Air Namibia can join the country’s leading hospitality providers in this initiative. Possible ventures can be formed between Air Namibia and Etihad Airways or Emirates Airlines with familiarisation trips to Namibia for UAE media and tour operators as well as to promote Namibia through the Middle East to overseas travel agencies, which are well represented here.
Newspaper advertisements, supplements on Namibia featuring tourism destinations and media exposure are all excellent tools to generate a word-of-mouth hype. Through this we can have more UAE tour operators based in UAE promoting and selling Namibia as a destination. Driving more tourists and investors to Namibia will only benefit the Namibian economy.
Namibia is a boutique country as described by then Minister of Trade Hage Geingob during the Business Expo in Dubai in 2011. The country needs to build onto this and raise its profile with a strong network to position itself as a favoured nation for tourism and differentiated trade.
Dubai is a candidate city to host the 2020 World Expo, under the theme of “connecting minds, creating the future” and aims to be the first city in the Mena [Middle East and North Africa] region to host this highly celebrated international exhibition. Held every five years, the event showcases spectacular exhibitions, pavilions and cultural events by international organisations, businesses and nations from around the world. As such, it is also a great opportunity for Namibian business people to gain visibility.
World expos attract millions of visitors and are thus a great place for Namibians to promote the country’s attractiveness and investment opportunities.
Namibia offers great opportunities in several sectors such as agriculture, fishing, manufacturing, tourism and mining. And with a future Namibian Embassy/Consulate in UAE (currently the nearest Namibian Embassy from the Middle East is located in Egypt), there would be many more opportunities.
If we are to make strides towards Namibia’s Vision 2030, we must not only remain focussed on the West and the East; we need to look further.
* Frieda ‘Faridah’ Nefungo is a Namibian who has been working for Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, the first Ferrari branded theme park and the largest indoor of its kind, since 2010.
Here a diverse and multi-cultural society will open your doors. Its myriads of architectural beauties and remarkable landmarks, the world’s largest skyscrapers, man-made islands and some of the world’s most outstanding shopping malls might seem like the UAE are in themselves the final destination. Look beyond that.
Over 150 nationalities chose to make UAE their home; more than 10 million guests arrive here every year; and Dubai has established itself as a natural stop-over on the world’s major trading routes. The Namibian tourism industry should take note.
The native Emirates make up only nine percent of the population – foreigners complete the demographics, attracted by the employment and investment opportunities in UAE. Americans, Australians, British, Canadians, Chinese, Dutch, Filipinos, Germans, Italians, Kenyans, South Africans, Namibians have settled here for work.
Foreign experts living in the Emirates love travelling to Africa. Countries such as Kenya have become ideal holiday locations, especially because of the wildlife and natural outdoor life.
These expatriates need to be introduced to new holiday destinations, which makes Namibia the ideal place as it can offer safe self-drive itineraries and holiday packages to UAE residents and that will increase the numbers of tourists to Namibia.
Namibian tour operators should be more visible at several exhibitions with pavilions that are designed and branded to promote awareness of Namibia, and above all, to promote Namibia as a prime tourist destination.
Marketing Namibia in the UAE will create a massive new source of income for Namibian tour operators not just from the holiday-goers but also by using the caliphate as a communication channel to reach businesspeople who travel through as well as beaming the messages to the rest of the world.
Air Namibia can join the country’s leading hospitality providers in this initiative. Possible ventures can be formed between Air Namibia and Etihad Airways or Emirates Airlines with familiarisation trips to Namibia for UAE media and tour operators as well as to promote Namibia through the Middle East to overseas travel agencies, which are well represented here.
Newspaper advertisements, supplements on Namibia featuring tourism destinations and media exposure are all excellent tools to generate a word-of-mouth hype. Through this we can have more UAE tour operators based in UAE promoting and selling Namibia as a destination. Driving more tourists and investors to Namibia will only benefit the Namibian economy.
Namibia is a boutique country as described by then Minister of Trade Hage Geingob during the Business Expo in Dubai in 2011. The country needs to build onto this and raise its profile with a strong network to position itself as a favoured nation for tourism and differentiated trade.
Dubai is a candidate city to host the 2020 World Expo, under the theme of “connecting minds, creating the future” and aims to be the first city in the Mena [Middle East and North Africa] region to host this highly celebrated international exhibition. Held every five years, the event showcases spectacular exhibitions, pavilions and cultural events by international organisations, businesses and nations from around the world. As such, it is also a great opportunity for Namibian business people to gain visibility.
World expos attract millions of visitors and are thus a great place for Namibians to promote the country’s attractiveness and investment opportunities.
Namibia offers great opportunities in several sectors such as agriculture, fishing, manufacturing, tourism and mining. And with a future Namibian Embassy/Consulate in UAE (currently the nearest Namibian Embassy from the Middle East is located in Egypt), there would be many more opportunities.
If we are to make strides towards Namibia’s Vision 2030, we must not only remain focussed on the West and the East; we need to look further.
* Frieda ‘Faridah’ Nefungo is a Namibian who has been working for Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, the first Ferrari branded theme park and the largest indoor of its kind, since 2010.
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