A recent report by the Namibia Tourism Board stated the number of Namibians travelling in Namibia was, in fact, quite low. Hoping to boost these numbers, the company, as well as other institutions such as Gondwana Collection, continuously strive to promote domestic tourism by launching campaigns and creating several specials in order to attract local travellers.
In 2007, The Namibian reported that a number of Namibians found the prices of local tourism services and accommodation too high, which prevented them from exploring their country. Most international travellers, consisting of Angolans, South Africans, Spaniards and even Italians, are currently among those who are boosting the tourism industry in Namibia.
Inke Stoldt, the public relations officer at Gondwana Collection, says they have given the idea a lot of thought. “Namibia’s scenery, the sights and various cultures are unique. There is always something new to discover for local travellers as well. We try to tell that to our compatriots through online campaigns and videos on social media, as well as with newspaper and website contributions on topics related to nature, culture, history, flora, fauna, etc. These stories are also published as books,” Stoldt said.
“Each of our 14 lodges as well as one hotel is an experience in itself. All of them are located in the vicinity of our country’s natural sights, and each of them has its very own flair. The African joie de vivre is infectious at the Etosha Safari Camp with its shebeen, the Down Corruption Bar. Car lovers, on the other hand, are excited about the restaurant at the Canyon Roadhouse which is decorated with vintage cars. Guests of the Kalahari Farmhouse have the opportunity to visit a working farm (our self-sufficiency centre), while the Canyon Village features the Nama culture – just to give a few examples.”
Have you heard of the Gondwana card? These cards were specifically introduced for Namibian citizens and tourists from the SADC region in 2006. Being equipped with one allows card-holders to receive a discount of 50% on bed and breakfasts and 25% on dinners. For SADC residents, there is a 40% discount on accommodation and a 25% discount on dinner. According to the Gondwana team, there have been about 53 000 Gondwana cards issued already, 33 000 to Namibians.
The Namibia Tourism Board (NTB)’s chief executive officer, Digu //Naobeb, said travelling as a Namibian is cheaper than travelling abroad because you are able to “save on air ticket fares when travelling abroad. In Namibia, people can drive by themselves to tourism destinations. Also, with the declining of ZAR/N$, travelling within Namibia is affordable because one is saved from foreign exchange”.
Other than the #ShareMyNamibia campaign that was relaunched by the NTB late last month, there are also a number of activities which assist in promoting domestic tourism. “Namibia Tourism Board is actively involved in annual activities such as trade fair participations, road shows and networking sessions with inbound tourism operators. This year, we will also be very active on radio programmes such as ‘Know Namibia’ where we will be disseminating information pertaining to travelling within Namibia.”
“The average income in Namibia and the SADC countries is significantly lower than in Europe or North America. With the Gondwana card, we want to enable more people from Namibia and the region at large to travel the country in order to increase awareness within society for the value of nature and its gentle utilisation for tourism”, Stoldt said.
Digu said that the reason why Namibians travel domestically is mainly to visit relatives and family, and that holiday and leisure travels were still limited. “Affordability – most of the tourism activities/destinations are remotely located. This makes it rather difficult for the average Namibian to travel simply because one would probably need a stronger vehicle such as a 4×4. The remoteness also makes accommodation expensive because lodge owners spend a lot to get supplies.”
Despite this, Gondwana says that the number of local travellers has increased. “About 5 to 10% of our guests are Namibian travellers, differing from lodge to lodge,” Stoldt reported.
Because local attractions are popular, lodges prefer to make their home there and this is where travellers tend to flock. In Namibia, for example, the Gondwana’s Delight Swakopmund hotel, which opened its doors on 1 November 2015, has proved popular. “The positive response of local visitors, especially in the festive season, was overwhelming.”
For Metumo Akwaake, a local traveller, seeing Namibia is a must. “Namibia is a very beautiful country and I like to explore its diversity. There’s so much to see and so much to learn. Most people don’t know what is in their own country. That’s why I travel as much as I can.”
Other regions such as the Kavango East and West as well as Zambezi only receives 5% of travellers, but in fact, there is so much to see.
Been itching to travel? Try something new and see your own country like you’ve never seen it before.
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