Namibia: Arrivals Reaching Plateau?

Namibias tourist arrivals appear to have reached a plateau with average occupancy rates for the third quarter of the year the countrys tourism high season at 3 lower than in 2019 and 1.5 lower than last year.

The latest statistics from the Hospitality Association of Namibia HAN indicate that average occupancies across 114 member properties were just under 63.5 for July to September.

It does seem as though recovery and growth momentum is gradually ebbing out, said HAN CEO Gitta Paetzold .

She said the decline could potentially be linked to major international sports events such as the 2024 Paris Olympics, during the quarter, which may have affected numbers from Europe by far the countrys largest tourist source market.

Macro-economic factors, the announcement of stricter visa regulations and global political crises could also be contributing factors, Paetzold added.