World Tourism Day in Namibia will be celebrated on 27 September 2017, in the amphitheatre at the Zoo Park, Windhoek. The national theme is “Tourism Begins at Home”, the international theme, as decided upon by the United Nations World Tourism Organisation, is “Sustainable Tourism – A Tool for Development”.
The 25th of August 2017 marked the preparatory event for the World Tourism Day. In order to raise awareness towards the national theme, the event was held at Hosea Kutako International Airport, where arriving travellers were treated to a special Namibian welcome with traditional dancing and singing by Kavango, Owambo, and Tswana performance groups.
Several selected artworks, which focused on the Namibian heritage and culture, were on display outside the terminal building. Representatives of NACSO distributed pamphlets detailing Wildlife Credits, which is a new initiative to help keep wildlife on the land. Anyone can be part of the new and exciting initiative by visiting lodges in communal conservancies that participate in the scheme. Learn more about Wildlife Credits at www.wildlifecredits.com.
During the event, several representatives from the Namibian Airport Company, the Ministry of Public Enterprises, the Ministry of Basic Education, Arts and Culture, and the Ministry of Environment and Tourism provided insight into the importance of tourism in Namibia. Despite the current economic difficulties within the country, tourism is still a growing sector within Namibia and should be capitalized upon and expanded. Not only does sustainable tourism lead to economic growth, but it could improve the quality of people’s lives, it can champion both environmental protection and cultural diversity, and it is an instrument towards promoting world peace.
