The Ministry of Environment, Forestry, and Tourism has announced plans to host the maiden Etosha Carnival at Etosha in July 2024 in collaboration with key stakeholders in efforts to revitalise the tourism sector.

The ministry’s spokesperson, Romeo Muyunda, in a statement last week, said the event will be held in collaboration with the Ondonga Traditional Authority, Namibia Tourism Board, and other key stakeholders.

“Having learned the hard way from the Covid-19 experience, the event aims to diversify tourism products offerings and new markets to attract more local travellers and at the same time, increase international tourist arrivals and regional spread. The carnival presents an opportunity to celebrate and showcase Namibia’s cultural and heritage diversity,” said Muyunda.

The event will be held at the Kangonde salt pan in Onanke village.

In preparation, a series of gala dinners have been planned to raise funds for the successful hosting of the inaugural cultural carnival, Muyunda said. He further said the ministry is inviting contributions from the business community, the tourism sector, and individuals interested in reserving tables for the gala dinner. 

Tickets are priced at N$20 000 for platinum tickets, N$15 000 for gold, and N$500 for an individual ticket.

In addition to showcasing Namibia’s cultural diversity, the carnival is expected to host an array of activities including skydiving, cultural performances, a Namibian traditional cook-out competition, horse riding, a totem parade, boma story-telling, and traditional games such as Owela.

The carnival will be hosted in line with the National Sustainable Tourism Growth and Development Strategy 2016-2026 and the Namibia Tourism Sector Recovery Plan 2022-2024. 

These strategies recommend the creation of new tourism routes and the expansion of tourism product offerings, including the development of cultural and heritage tourism, with a particular focus on attracting domestic tourists to the region, Muyunda said. -Nampa