The Namibia Tourism Board CEO Digu //Naobeb uttered that with the advent of Covid-19, there is a significant shift to embrace social media and digital technology to be competitive in the tourism industry.
This follows the move by the Namibia Wildlife Resorts that the Okaukuejo waterhole live-streaming camera is now available on Wild Earths DStv channel 183.
This initiative complements the already viral NWR Live YouTube channel, launched in April, with viewership reaching as high as 1 000 wildlife enthusiasts per day.
“With that background, what NWR has done is commendable, and we encourage the tourism industry to invest in social media and digital technology, as such is a very cost-effective mechanism to position brands and offerings that are appealing in the marketplace,” //Naobeb said.
To enhance customer experience, NWR partnered with Wild Earth to allow for the viewing of waterhole action footage, as it unfolds at the most famous waterhole in Namibia, reaching an audience of about five million people globally every month.
NWR spokesperson Nelson Ashipala said this is an excellent marketing platform for Namibia Tourism.
“This initiative is a first for Namibia, whereby a live stream camera showcases the wildlife that Namibia offers, complemented with expert commentary from trained naturalists. Using a combination of live broadcasting, expert naturalists, interactivity, community and a point-of-view shooting style, partnering up with WildEarth will help millions of viewers feel remotely present in nature without increasing their footprint,” Ashipala noted.
Meanwhile, the Hospitality Association of Namibia (HAN)’s executive Gitta Paetzold expressed that NWR’s initiative is amazing, as it takes Namibia into the lounges of people across the globe.
“Especially now with the festive season coming up, many regional travellers and DStv subscribers may just be enticed to visit Etosha in person, after seeing the amazing animal traffic at the waterhole on TV. The YouTube channel, accessible across the globe, surely temps people facing gloomy winter months ahead to escape to the sunny wilderness of Namibia to watch animals in Etosha, surrounded by warmth and wide open spaces,” she said.
Ashipala maintained this experience excites NWR, as it will make wildlife enthusiasts curious to the point where tourists want to travel to Etosha National Park, in particular, and Namibia, in general.
The live waterhole stream broadcasts on the flagship SafariLIVE sunrise for three hours in the morning and SafariLIVE sunset for four hours in the afternoon.
SafariLIVE sunrise is available from 06h30 to 09h30 CAT, and SafariLIVE sunset is open from 14h30 to 18h30 CAT.
The show discusses the Okaukuejo Waterhole with an expert guide.
On the live stream, viewers can watch the wildlife at the Okaukuejo Resort waterhole throughout the day on NWR’s YouTube page.
– anakale@nepc.com.na