Niël Terblanché
The 15th edition of the Erongo Business and Tourism Expo, hosted by the Walvis Bay municipal council, is in full swing, promising to invigorate the local and national economies.
Neville Andre, the Governor of the Erongo Region, during his opening address stressed the event’s significance in bringing together Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to showcase their offerings, thereby reinforcing socio-economic development and creating employment opportunities.
Positioned as one of Namibia’s economic epicentres, Walvis Bay recognizes the evolving landscape of business and the need for transformative changes in both the tourism and business sectors.
This annual event also fosters public dialogue, addressing the challenges faced by businesses and communities alike.
Walvis Bay Mayor, Trevino Forbes also stressed the importance of the event, which has grown in size and importance over the years.
The theme for this year’s expo is “Innovate, Integrate, and Industrialize.”
As the Mayor of the Economic Hub of Namibia, Forbes praised the resilience of the Walvis Bay business community in the face of economic challenges. He expressed appreciation to the organizing committee and sponsors for their contributions to reviving and maintaining the expo.
Forbes outlined four main reasons why events like the Erongo Business and Tourism Expo are celebrated.
He said the expo provides a platform for SMEs to showcase their products and services, enabling them to reach a wider audience, encourages dialogue on challenges faced by the business community and communities at large, fostering collaborative solutions, promotes the valuable assets of the region, including mining, tourism, fishing, marine resources, and more as well as providing an opportunity for sponsors of the vent to promote their services not only in Namibia but also in the broader Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) and globally.
He said tourism is an excellent driver of job and business opportunities for SMEs, and it has the potential to renew urban and rural areas and preserve natural resources and cultural heritage.
He expressed hope that events like the expo would stimulate the economy, reviving the tourism industry to pre-Covid levels and generating new business ideas, particularly for SMEs.
Forbes also stressed the significance of quality customer service in the tourism industry, emphasizing the need for efficient and effective service to ensure repeat business from tourists and investors.
“Walvis Bay’s strategic location in Namibia’s economic region makes it unique in terms of industries and markets,” he said
Forbes encouraged the promotion and development of domestic tourism with the passion to propel international tourism and investment opportunities.
He also called upon local authorities to create a conducive environment for investment, particularly by streamlining processes related to visas and work permits.
Forbes emphasized that such small improvements could discourage or encourage investment and ultimately impact Namibia’s economic potential.
