Following two bumper years, tourism needs to start planning now for next decades
“We need to look and move forward in the industry. Namibia has had various challenges, such as tourism overload however we can work through them. We want to run a tourism industry worth the work we put in, and we need to rally everyone to work together. Tourism in Namibia will be even bigger next year.”
Speaking at the launch of the Hospitality Association of Namibia’s annual congress and 30th anniversary celebration, the association’s Chief Executive, Gitta Paetzold waxed lyrical about the sector’s enormous potential and the bumper season this year.
The HAN Congress will take place on Thursday, 23 November at the Safari Hotel Conference Centre, followed by a tourism networking cocktail at the hotel’s pool area. The congress is followed by the Tourism Trade Fair and an anniversary Gala Dinner that evening. All activities take place at the Safari Hotel in Windhoek.
Singling out the past two years as the best for tourism so far, Paetzold continued “As HAN reaches a major milestone this year, able to look back on 30 years of service to the Namibian tourism industry, the organization is eager to reflect on and plan for a sustainable tourism industry for the next decades together with its key partners and stakeholders who jointly contribute to the success of this industry.”
“Together with its valued and trusted sponsors and partners, HAN has realized that in view of global developments, be they environmental or political, it has become obvious that the world is changing rapidly and the ability and responsibility to adapt to such changes is vital to ensure continued business success. The massive growth in tourism in Namibia calls for thorough review and strategic planning to ensure continued and sustainable growth, making this year’s HAN event all the more important” she said.
The HAN congress is sponsored by Namibia Breweries Ltd, Standard Bank of Namibia, Bannerman Resources and Air Namibia. The launch was held at the Breweries’ headquarters in Windhoek.
Breweries Managing Director, Wessie van der Westhuizen said “The tourism industry presents countless growth opportunities for us but we need to seize them by raising our game and gear up for growth. We must uplift our value proposition, innovate and transform ourselves to rise above competition. It can not be business as usual. Namibia is a fantastic brand! It has a great offering for tourists and even locals to experience the time of their lives. Therefore, marketing the brand is a key element for success, and in promoting Namibia as a brand, everyone’s goal should be to strive for equity, where input and output are well balanced and result in optimal results.”
Standard Bank’s Head of Strategic Sector, Manus Grobler said “Standard Bank recognises the vital role of tourism in the Namibian economy. This major industry contributes in excess of 15% of the gross domestic product. Annually, over one million travellers visit Namibia with large numbers from South Africa, Germany and finally the United Kingdom, Italy and France.”
Headline sponsors, NBL and Standard Bank contributed N$130,000 and N$80,000 respectively for the HAN congress, the Tourism Trade Fair and the anniversary gala dinner.
Caption: From the left, Standard Bank’s Head of Strategic Sector, Manus Grobler, Bannerman Resources Senior Stakeholder Relations Advisor, Matjiua Hengua, NBL’s Managing Director, Wessie van der Westhuizen and HAN’s Chairperson, Shepherd Chinhoi.
