WINDHOEK, Sept. 24– Namibia’s tourism sector experienced robust growth in August, fueled by a blend of local and international visitors, according to the latest hospitality statistics report released by investment research firm Simonis Storm Securities. European tourists were the primary drivers of this growth, comprising 70.28 percent of foreign arrivals, the highest percentage recorded in 2024, the report said, adding that among European visitors, Austria, Germany, and Switzerland were the top contributors, accounting for 31.68 percent of the European segment.
Additionally, emerging markets such as the Baltic nations — Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia — also showed increasing interest, it said. Local travel also saw a noticeable uptick, with Namibian visitors accounting for 14.91 percent of total occupancy in August. Visitors from the rest of Africa increased their share to 1.67 percent, up from 0.9 percent in the previous year, it said. As the festive season approaches, the research firm anticipates further boosts in domestic and the Southern African Development Community visitors, particularly to popular holiday destinations in the northern and coastal areas. The firm also noted that Namibia’s rate-cutting cycle is expected to enhance consumer and business confidence, supporting the hospitality sector in the months ahead. According to the 2023 Tourist Statistical Report released in July by Ministry of Environment, Forestry, and Tourism, Namibia recorded an 87.4 percent rise in international tourist arrivals in 2023, increasing from 461,027 in 2022 to 863,872, underscoring the sector’s positive trajectory.
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