EDITORIAL: Tourism must introspect
South Africa vlogger Yolenda ‘Yolz’ Jawe, who was in Namibia recently, threw the cat among the pigeons when she highlighted why she would never visit our country again.
In a video that attracted nearly 150 000 views in four days, she narrated the general cold treatment her family received while touring parts of the country.
“It is such a shame that, especially as black people in our African continent, tourists are not very welcomed; not just by our white counterparts, but also by our very own black people,” she remarked.
In the comment section of her video, many more people – some of them Namibian – shared similar experiences.
“We have just come back from a visit to Namibia. I grew up there but haven't been back for a while, and people in the tourist areas are so rude,” one commented.
Another said: “We also experienced horrible service at the Windhoek Hosea Kutako airport from our fellow blacks. Namibia is a beautiful country, but they still have a lot to learn hospitality-wise”.
Speaking of the airport, we still remember the Namibia Airports Company employee photographed in 2022 with her feet on a counter in front of visitors. But on perceived racism, black people are its massive perpetuators.
Have you ever visited a local supermarket where a black cashier says “goeie middag, meneer” to the guy in front of you, but when it’s your turn, her only words to you are whether you’re paying with card or cash?
In a video that attracted nearly 150 000 views in four days, she narrated the general cold treatment her family received while touring parts of the country.
“It is such a shame that, especially as black people in our African continent, tourists are not very welcomed; not just by our white counterparts, but also by our very own black people,” she remarked.
In the comment section of her video, many more people – some of them Namibian – shared similar experiences.
“We have just come back from a visit to Namibia. I grew up there but haven't been back for a while, and people in the tourist areas are so rude,” one commented.
Another said: “We also experienced horrible service at the Windhoek Hosea Kutako airport from our fellow blacks. Namibia is a beautiful country, but they still have a lot to learn hospitality-wise”.
Speaking of the airport, we still remember the Namibia Airports Company employee photographed in 2022 with her feet on a counter in front of visitors. But on perceived racism, black people are its massive perpetuators.
Have you ever visited a local supermarket where a black cashier says “goeie middag, meneer” to the guy in front of you, but when it’s your turn, her only words to you are whether you’re paying with card or cash?
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Namibian Sun
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