Environment and tourism minister Pohamba Shifeta has urged the business community to come up with viable interventions for optimising the role of tourism as an engine and catalyst for economic development and growth in Namibia.
Speaking during a meeting on tourism organised by the Namibia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NCCI) in Windhoek yesterday, the minister said the success of tourism depends on collaboration and cooperation among all stakeholders through shared experiences.
The business community should take part in the subsidised road shows and international trade fairs coordinated by the Namibia Tourism Board (NTB) as this will enable them to market their products better, he urged.
“Tourism is one of the economic sectors with the potential to reshape the economy during these hard times,” he noted.
Discussions during the meeting focused on how the tourism sector can be a catalyst for growth, and also looked at the various strategic areas for potential business and investment, as well as the role of the business community in the tourism industry.
“We need to exchange ideas on how to uplift the tourism sector, which has so much potential in shaping the Namibian economy,” Shifeta said.
“The country’s economy is not growing the way it should and in the manner expected, which means that it is indeed a painful period for us. But we should be determined to turn the situation around.
“We have a strong comparative advantage in tourism, and should, therefore, take on this challenge with strength and pride because as we progress on every step of this journey, we will be creating a better future for generations of Namibians who will follow us,” the minister continued.
This way, Namibia would be able to tackle the triple challenges of poverty, inequality and unemployment.
Shifeta added that even the government agrees that tourism has a significant effect in stimulating economic growth nationally, given its multi-faceted and cross-cutting nature, and that tourism is a powerful tool for development and economic growth.
In realising this potential, his ministry has developed the national tourism investment profile and promotion strategy (NTIPP) to transform Namibia into the most competitive tourism destination.
“It is worth noting that this strategy has economic incentives that play a major role in the development of the tourism sector. This is especially relevant if the goal of attaining economic and social equity and social empowerment has to be met,” he said.
Shifeta further stated that economic incentives in the tourism sector could be classified as fiscal tax incentives, which include special tax exemptions, deductions or allowances, as well as customs duty exemptions.
“We need to plan for the medium and long term, and in this we need to all work together to achieve our true potential in the spirit of Harambee,” the minister said.
Present at the event was Martin Shipanga, the NCCI Windhoek branch chairman, who said tourism is one of the important economic pillars of the country.
Tourism is also identified as one of the key strategic areas which can be used to stimulate the economy during the recession the country currently faces.
He said this is substantiated by the fact that between 13% and 14% of Namibia’s gross domestic product is generated through tourism.
“We need to look at the immediate interventions that are required to have an immediate impact, and to find a way of collaborating to eliminate the bottlenecks that could potentially reduce visitors to Namibia,” Shipanga said, adding that regulations inhibiting the tourism industry should be reformed to make it more supportive of the economy.
Story By Tjipenandjambi Kuhanga – Namibian Newspaper