Staff Reporter
The Ministry of Environment is targeting an increase in the tourism sector’s contribution to Namibia’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to N$18.5 billion by 2030.
The target was outlined by the Ministry’s Executive Director, Sikongo Haihambo, during a presentation on the Ministry’s strategic overview and its alignment with the Sixth National Development Plan (NDP6).
He emphasised that one of the Ministry’s key goals is to increase tourist arrivals, the tourism sector’s contribution to GDP and revenue from the gaming sector.
Haihambo revealed that the tourism sector contributed N$14.3 billion to GDP in 2022. The Ministry, he added, aims to increase this to N$16 billion during the 2026/2027 financial year, N$16.7 billion in 2027/2028, N$17.4 billion in 2028/2029 and N$18.5 billion in the 2029/2030 financial year.
The Ministry is also targeting substantial growth in gaming revenue, which stood at N$32 million in 2024. Haihambo said the target is to increase this to N$45.6 million in 2026/2027, N$60.1 million in 2027/2028, N$67.8 million in 2028/2029 and N$76.5 million in 2029/2030.
He said increased tourist arrivals would be crucial to achieving these targets.
He highlighted that Namibia recorded about 863,872 tourist arrivals in 2023 and 1,257,093 in 2024. He revealed that the Ministry wants to increase this to 1,214,000 in the 2026/2027 financial year, 1,359,500 in 2027/2028, 1,523,000 in 2028/2029 and 1,800,000 in 2029/2030.
Haihambo acknowledged a decline in international tourist arrivals, saying the Ministry plans to respond by diversifying the country’s tourism offerings and source markets.
Picture for illustrative purposes only. Photo: Namakwa Toere/Namaqua Tours
