James David says attending the Expo 2020 Dubai was an investment in his tourism business, called James Tours and Safaris.
It has also provided an opportunity to network with other players in the sector, he says.
“Sometimes you have to spend money to make money,” says David, one of only six Namibian tourism operators at the expo.
He attended the expo from 5 to 13 March.
David, who says his company’s slogan is ‘Tourism is Our Passion ‘, says the excursion to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) was successful in terms of marketing Namibia and its tourism sector.
He says although the government has organised the trip through the Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board (NIPDB), entrepreneurs had to cover their own expenses.
The expo was also attended by president Hage Geingob and several Namibian ministers, including minister of finance Iipumbu Shiimi, minister of industrialisation and trade Lucia Iipumbu, minister of agriculture, forestry and land reform Calle Schlettwein, and several other top government officials.
“The government will help you by organising entrepreneurship training and facilitating opportunities like attending trade fairs and expos, but you go there at your expense to get those clients who will impact your business,” says David, who has visited expos around the world.
He says although Dubai’s climate is similiar to Namibia’s, its tourism sector is more developed and receives 25 million foreign visitors a year.
“Going there enabled us to target and identify other tour operators to exchange notes and bring some of their clients to Namibia. Remember, the UAE’s economy is developed and presents good opportunities.
“This is why we have to work with their tour companies to woo clients to Namibia,” he says.
David, who started his company in 2011, says his first lesson was about the value of hard work, passion, commitment and dedication.
The chief executive officer says the Covid-19 pandemic has forced him to downsize his business to six workers only, with him also taking up the role of a driver.
“Covid came at a time when none of us expected it. It has affected all sectors of the tourism business as tourists stopped coming during the lockdown, and the country lost foreign currency earnings during that time.
“People lost jobs as hotels, restaurants, and resorts, and other establishments closed down. Car hire companies could not operate any more. We have also lost skilled workers to the pandemic,” he says.
David says despite all the challenges his company encountered during the pandemic, he could not allow the enterprise he built from “nothing” to collapse.
“I had pushed myself to the point of no return because of the hunger to succeed, and I advise aspiring entrepreneurs and college graduates not to expect someone to come and do things for them.
“They must roll up their sleeves and create something for themselves.”
David says people should appreciate the business foreign tourists bring the sector.
He is calling for the decentralisation of the sector and turning cultural activities like olufuko into tourist attractions.
“People love to experience what they have not experienced before,” he says, adding pupils should be taught how to start tourism ventures in their areas at school.
Young people should also attend conferences and workshops on entrepreneurship to get advice from veterans in the sector, he says.
“If you want success, there is, however, a price to pay: Avoid drinking alcohol when driving tourists around, build a reputation of honesty and trustworthiness, as most tourists would hate losing expensive goods through the carelessness and drunkenness of their guide,” David says.
Email: matthew@namibian.com.na
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