Namibia is losing out on economic benefits from major events by not including local vendors and cultural experiences in its hosting strategy.
This was said by China expert and regional development economist Penny Uukunde on the sidelines of the inaugural Commonwealth Business Summit this week.
Uukunde expressed concern over economic “leakage” at events that should otherwise help money circulate in the local economy.
“When I come to an event like this, I see so many opportunities being lost. Where are the local vendors for food? Where are the different traditional attire stalls? We are hosting a Commonwealth group with so many people coming in, and these people come ready to spend money in our country.
“But what happens is they go to a hotel, come to the conference, and leave without spending meaningfully in the community,” Uukunde said.
She said Namibia needs a more intentional strategy to ensure visitors’ spending goes beyond hotels and formal venues.
She proposed that local entrepreneurs, particularly the youth, should be empowered and given space to provide services such as traditional food, crafts, cultural performances, and guided experiences.
“There’s a drum group happening somewhere, there’s a kapana session – these are the things that keep the money circulating in the economy. And this is something the youth can do. But the opportunity is lost because of a communication gap and a lack of access for the general public to participate,” she said.
Uukunde did not hide her disappointment at the lack of visible Namibian identity at the summit.
She said many international delegates were eager to engage with and take back authentic Namibian experiences, but the infrastructure to facilitate this was lacking.
“A lot of these people are going back with their money that they haven’t spent. My biggest disappointment is that I don’t see any display of Namibia here, and we are hosting,” she said.
Drawing lessons from Qatar’s success in diversifying its economy through strategic hosting and hospitality, Uukunde called for Namibia to adopt a similar approach.
“It starts from the moment the person arrives at the airport until they go back. We need to make sure our economy benefits beyond hotels.”
