Third-quarter occupancy at 53.3%

The occupancy statistics at accommodation establishments for the third quarter of this year averaged 53.5%.

“This is two-and-a-half times better than last year's 20%,” Hospitality Association of Namibia (HAN) CEO, Gitta Paetzold, said.

According to her, the third-quarter statistics for this year are a mere 11% lower than in 2019, when it stood at 64.7%.

That was the last normal year for tourism before the Covid-19 pandemic.

“All in all, a very positive and encouraging result to see the Namibian tourism recovery advance to this level in this short timespan,” she said, adding that this is “proof that most of our source markets are back in full swing”.

Central Europe remained Namibia’s strongest market during the third quarter, she highlighted, adding that the British market also seems to have recovered well.

Paetzold said the fact that the level of occupancy by locals in this quarter stood at 19.5% - 3% lower than in 2019 - could be “a result of the growing financial constraints felt by Namibians”.

In 2021, the figure stood at 43.3%.