Tourism Expo aims beyond borders

Occasion to become networking-, conferencing- and integration event
Frank Steffen
Frank Steffen
The Tourism Expo 2023 was launched on Friday at the Windhoek Country Club, where this year’s expo will also be taking place from 26 to 28 April.
The event has been moved to a time of the year, which is regarded as a better niche for this event.
The Minister of Environment, Forestry and Tourism (MEFT), Pohamba Shifeta, was present at the launch, saying that the expo should be regarded by the tourism sector as the ideal opportunity to redouble its efforts in an attempt to reach the levels that the sector reported before the Covid-19 pandemic set in.
The theme for this year's expo is "Beyond Borders" which aims to promote solutions in the region by understanding how to work together with Namibia’s neighbouring countries.
Janette Fourie, a director of the Namibia Tourism Board (NTB) in her vote of thanks, challenged the tourism sector to ensure that it registers and reserves stands early in an effort to ensure that the expo can in fact become, what it has set out to do: Bring together the sector and related parties in an effort to network, while benefitting from business opportunities.
Albe Botha, chief executive of host Namibia Media Holdings (NMH), considers the expo to be an ideal tool to highlight the importance of the tourism industry to the country and celebrate the unique experiences that Namibia has to offer. In his welcome speech he addressed the minister, emphasizing how much NMH as facilitator of this annual event believes that the Tourism Expo is larger than just the organisers: “Honourable Pohamba Shifeta, Minister of Environment, Forestry and Tourism, thank you for your long-time support of this event and your unwavering support in promoting tourism in this country. Without your support and understanding, this event would not be possible.”
The minister repeatedly expressed his delight about the fact that Namibia is showing clear signs of having come out hurt by the Covid-19 pandemic, but ready to take on a world that has decidedly moved on after the serious setback. The minister appreciated the fact that the expo has consistently been organised and held without fail.
It is in this light that Lisa Scriven of Utopia Africa raised the question of sustainability, reiterating the fact that the tourism sector in Namibia cannot stick to old habits, but needs to move with the times. She told of an international trend that sees visitors wanting to experience a country, by being allowed to actively explore the country, its people and their culture.
Shifeta gave an indication of the improvement in visitor numbers as well as pointing to its potential: “I am happy to share with you that the tourist arrival numbers are on the increase since 2021 by 37.3% (from 169 565 in 2020 to 232 756 tourist arrivals in 2021), and by 4.6% to a total of 243 466 in 2022 tourism seasons (using data from 15 computerised major entry-points). This growth is commendable considering the negative impacts of the Covid-19 in 2020 on the tourism sector globally and on Namibia since its onset in late 2019. However, these visitor numbers remain very low for this country as it only represents about 15% of the pre-Covid-19 numbers (1 595 973 tourism arrivals) and too low to regain pre-Covid employment numbers in the sector.”
The minister is adamant of the fact that the tourism industry and it representatives – especially the Namibia Tourism Board – should do everything in their power to strengthen the expo to the benefit of the industry and country, but more profoundly to the benefit of tourists coming to visit Namibia. To that end he showcased the parallels between the aims of the expo and the “National Tourism Recovery Plan 2022 to 2024”.
The Tourism Expo 2023 focuses on promoting tourism not just as a destination in Namibia but in the Southern African region as well. The event will feature formalised stands and engagements along with networking and conferencing sessions. The focus lies on four specific areas of the country that are connected to the official borders, but actually transcend these boundaries:
• /Ai -/Ais Richtersveld Transfrontier Park
• Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
• Iona-Skeleton Coast Transfrontier
• Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA TFCA)
The event aims to promote these areas to tourists and to help them understand the uniqueness of each place.
Shifeta commended the fact that the "Town of the Year" competition will again be held, allowing towns to showcase their uniqueness and engage with social media in order to promote themselves as tourist attractions. Botha on the other hand also regards sports as a critical part of tourism, for which reason that opportunity will be highlights, while the Bride of the Year-competition will help showcasing the hospitality sector’s conferencing capabilities.
“I think the most successful thing that Namibia has done in world terms is how we've been able to work with conservancies and promote these conservancies, making sure that they're part of the tourist solution. It's just a ‘wow’ story to tell and we'll carry on telling that wonderful story”, said Botha. He wants to facilitate and promote the link between social investment institutions and communities.
The Tourism Expo 2023 will be open to the public from 16:00 to 22:00 on each day (Wednesday to Friday), while networking and conferencing sessions will be conducted earlier in the day, from 12:00 to 16:00. For more information or to book a stand, contact Michelle le Roux at 081 286 4311 or [email protected].