CHAMWE KAIRA
The number of tourists from Belgium, The Netherlands, and Luxembourg increased by a record high of 11.6% in July. This is the highest number of visitors in five years.
According to the Hospitality Association of Namibia (HAN), July and August are traditionally peak travel months for the European Union.
Although there was a slight decline in visitors from France, likely due to the Olympics and other events, the Belgium, The Netherlands, and Luxembourg (Benelux) market has filled this gap, according to a report by Simonis Storm Securities. This trend reflects the strong market presence of Benelux tourists, bolstered by targeted efforts from product providers catering to this demographic, the reported noted.
The tourism peak season of this year has continued to demonstrate strong performance, with total passenger arrivals in July 2024 reaching 49 534, the highest figure recorded this year and the highest since October 2023, although still falling short of 2019 levels.
Of these arrivals, 44% were international travellers, 45% were regional visitors, and the remaining 11% were domestic passengers. July marked the highest international arrivals of the year, while domestic arrivals were the second lowest on record for this year.
In contrast, passenger departures declined in July, primarily due to a decrease in international departures as visitors returned to their home countries.
In addition, Air Botswana has announced its expansion to new destinations within Namibia and South Africa. This strategic move aims to enhance flight connectivity across Southern Africa and beyond. The new routes will operate three times a week, with services beginning in October and November, respectively.
The report said the national occupancy rate stood at 59.7% in July, a slight decrease from 60.8% in July last year and closely aligned with the 59.6% rate recorded in July 2019.
The northern regions led with an occupancy rate of 62.8%, followed by the central areas at 60.8%, the coastal regions at 59.8%, and the southern regions at 56.5%.
Leisure tourism remains the primary driver of tourist inflows, accounting for 91.7% of visitors staying in hospitality establishments across Namibia. The majority of these leisure tourists chose to explore the northern and southern regions. In terms of accommodation, they predominantly selected bed and breakfasts, hotels, lodges, and tented camps. Visitors staying at hospitality establishments for business purposes saw a significant increase, comprising 8.2% of visitors nationwide in July, up from 2.1% in June, indicating a return to pre-pandemic levels.
