Namibia recorded a 98,1% increase in inbound tourist arrivals last year, according to the 2022 Statistical Report on Tourist Arrivals, released last week.

The number of tourist arrivals increased from 232,756 in 2021 to 461,027 in 2022. However, this is significantly lower than the 1,681,336 foreign tourists recorded in 2019 (before the pandemic).

"With the sector's recovery gaining momentum, the Ministry encourages destination managers, tour operators, and all stakeholders to develop new products, routes, and additional destinations. This will improve service quality and make Destination Namibia more attractive for repeat travel," stated the Minister of Environment, Forestry, and Tourism. Pohamba Shifeta.

In 2022, the country's top ten tourism source markets were South Africa, Angola, Germany, Zambia, Botswana, France, the UK, the US, Italy and Switzerland.

"Tourism season data showed that 53,1% of tourists traveled between September and December, 36,1% between May and August, and 10,8% between January and April," the report said.

Shifeta added that the country's tourism sector has the potential to exploit opportunities in domestic and interregional markets. Therefore, it is crucial to intensify the country's marketing efforts to increase demand for travel among local residents and regional markets, striving to develop sustainable and resilient tourism.

The Ministry is currently implementing the Tourism Sector Recovery Plan, which sets out a framework of policy measures and strategic programs to support each stage of recovery, Shifeta concluded.