Survey shows high visitor satisfaction

The Namibia Tourist Exit Survey 2012-2013 launched this week revealed that holiday tourists are most satisfied with their visit to Namibia, with 85% rating it as “very enjoyable”.
Tourists who rated Namibia the highest are from the USA (93%), Germany (88%) and France.
The survey also revealed that 39% of the 6500 respondents interviewed for the survey had been in Namibia particularly for holiday or leisure purposes. Wildlife remains the number one drawcard, cited as the most significant attractor for holiday tourists when selecting Namibia as their destination.
Etosha National Park is the most visited national park, with nearly a quarter of all tourists travelling there. 80% of tourists from France visited Etosha.
Of the total holiday market, South African tourists are the most significant while Angola dominates the business tourism sector, with over one half of all tourist arrivals and almost all of the medical tourist arrivals.
The survey was carried out during three separate survey periods that fell between June 2012 and January 2013 at Hosea Kutako International Airport, Walvis Bay Airport, Buitepos,Wenela, Oshikango, Ariamsvlei, and Noordoewer, and a total of 6,500 respondents were interviewed.
According to Hon. Uahekua Herunga, Minister of Environment and Tourism, the Namibian tourism industry has identified the need for timely collection of tourism-related statistics which he said are very important for planning, tourism development, market investment and allocation of funds for improved tourism infrastructure. “The industry needs to know why visitors come to Namibia, where they come from, their activities and places visited, length of stay, the likelihood of repeat visits, and the primary motivation for visitors to travel,” said Herunga. The minister added that The Namibia Tourist Exit Survey 2012 – 2013 data will enable the ministry to compare past trends and compile the Tourism Satellite Account, National Accounts and Balance of Payment statistics. “If the current trend of developing tourism products in a sustainable manner continues and is upheld at all times, tourism will be a key catalyst for growth and nation building despite economic uncertainty,” Herunga emphasised.
The main activities of holiday makers include game viewing (34%), and nature and landscape touring (25%). Other activities include hiking and trekking (6%), adventure sports (5%), hunting (4%), shopping (4%), 4×4 trails (4%), and fishing (3%).
Tourists travelling to Namibia for the first time tend to stay considerably longer (16.1 nights) than those who have visited before (8.6 nights).
The most significant age group for all tourists visiting Namibia is the 30 to 39 year bracket. However, age profiles change by country of residence and purpose of visit. Visitors from Europe are older (52% are 40+) than those from Africa (only 44% are 40+).