Namibia recorded a 98.1% increase in international/inbound tourist arrivals, rising  from 232 756 in 2021 to 461 027 last year, as indicated by the 2022 Tourism Arrival Statistical Report released Tuesday.

Speaking at the report’s launch, tourism minister Pohamba Shifeta said there was a 28.9% recovery level for the 2022 tourist arrival statistics.

“With the sector’s recovery gaining
momentum, the ministry encourages destination managers, tour operators, and all relevant stakeholders to develop new products, routes, and additional destinations. This will enhance the visitor experience and make ‘Destination
Namibia’ more appealing to repeat visitors,” he stated.

The top 10 tourist source markets in 2022
were South Africa, Angola, Germany, Zambia, Botswana, France, the United Kingdom, the United States, Italy, and Switzerland. 

“Travel season data revealed that 53.1% of tourists travelled between September and December, 36.1% between May and August,
and 10.8% between January and April,” read the report.

Shifeta also emphasised that Namibia’s tourism sector has the potential to benefit from opportunities within the domestic and inter-regional markets. Therefore, it’s crucial to
increase the country’s marketing efforts to boost demand for travel among locals and regional markets, aiming for robust and sustainable
tourism.

The ministry is currently implementing the Tourism Sector Recovery Plan, which outlines a framework for policy interventions and strategic programmes to support each stage of the recovery phase, according to the official.

– Nampa/Xinhua