X
04:33Last update on: 12 Aug 2013
The Namibian
Mon 12 Aug 2013
SMS Of The Day * MINISTRY of Gender and Child Welfare, TEARS are rolling down as I write this SMS. The killing of women in Namibia is now like reciting a poem. Are we really getting the protection we deserve while women not being treated as part of this c Food For Thought * SO the Zimbabwe elections were free and peaceful and not free and fair? Bouquets And Brickbats * NURSES at Katutura Hospital must stop wearing those big plastic sandals at work because they are not the official working shoes. We want to see you looking smart and beautiful with your full uniform. SMS Of The Day * THIS nation is in dire need of a massive conference on housing. When we experienced a crisis in the education sector a crisis-control brain-storming conference was organised which resulted in the best deal ever for the Namibian child, nam Food For Thought * BOURGEOISIE has become a daily occupation if not the order of the day of the upper-echelons, President Hifikepunye Pohamba we urge you to revisit this unpatriotic geocentricism among your staff and the well-connected, for everybody to r Bouquets And Brickbats * COMMISSIONER of Prisons, can you please explain the strategies you use to appoint officers to certain positions? It is my observation that you are being fed with wrong information then you just promote individuals without making p SMS Of The Day * I THINK Paulus ‘The Rock’ Ambunda lost his belt because of this promoter and trainer. How can a world champion still be training at the Katutura Youth Complex where there is not enough equipment. I think they must follow the example of Ha Food For Thought * NAMIBIA Dairies are unable to match low prices of imported milk and this ultimately means the consumer will have to pay more for local milk. Look at the prices of the local chicken. All these profits are going in the pockets of a few in Bouquets And Brickbats * I AM pleased to hear that Cabinet has responded positively to the proposal of Namibia Dairies to support the industry. The restrictions which support the industry by reducing competition to ensure the survival of the industry is a SMS Of The Day * CEO’s golden handshakes. Somewhere on our statute books there must be a provision that if a board of directors suspends/dismisses a CEO without due regard to legal provision (substantive/procedural law) such board must carry the costs for Food For Thought * JACKY Asheeke was so right with her last column- why are the fathers of the dead children not being prosecuted? (Reference to the children who died in shack fires last week) Our justice system still protects men over women. In this cont Bouquets And Brickbats * ALEXACTUS Kaure, your column in Friday’s newspaper opened my eyes. One hardly finds impartial case study analysers in Namibia. Let’s not destroy the Polytechnic’s strong foundation (Tjivikua) as yet. At least wait until the transf
POLL
What do you think of the renaming and addition of regions and constituencies?
Results so far:
Older Polls
OPINIONS - COLUMNS | 2013-08-02
Frieda ‘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.
Comment on this article
Latest comments
Total article comments: 1
www.weatherphotos.co.za
Windhoek
7°
24°
0mm
Walvis Bay
8°
22°
0mm
Oshakati
8°
31°
0mm
Keetmanshoop
1°
17°
0mm
Grootfontein
2°
27°
0mm
Gobabis
5°
24°
0mm
(August 12)
View more ...