NAMIBIA: Swakopmund Sits On Tourism Gold Mine

Swakopmund which is already a key tourism destination could generate an additional N$450 million if the town embarks upon aggressive marketing, rejuvenates its cultural tourism activities and African restaurants and extends the opening hours of shops.

This is according to Professor Dr Rainer Trede, a development consultant for southern Africa, who presented a draft policy on the proposed tourism growth and development strategy for Swakopmund.

Trede says Swakopmund is very un-African while real African experiences are almost non-existent at the town that is only distinguishable from Germany’s North Sea and Baltic coasts by its wind-blown sand and palm trees.

Trede is contracted by the Swakopmund Municipality to do a detailed study and come up with a tourism strategy for the town to promote the town as a prime urban tourist destination in southern and eastern Africa.

The draft document was presented on Wednesday to the municipality and various tourism stakeholders for scrutiny and recommendation.

The tourism strategy will be a key document towards tourism development, hence the document was shared with stakeholders for recommendations.

Stakeholders’ inputs and comments will be incorporated in the final document that will be implemented to develop the town into a true tourism magnet.

Presenting his findings, Trede said vigorous marketing means the town will have to venture into key areas such as marketing and advertising in foreign languages targeting countries such as Russia and France, apart from already existing tourists who include Germans and South Africans.

“Locals must be encouraged to venture into unconventional tourism activities such as donkey cart rides, cultural tours through townships while at the same time encourage tourists to stay longer. This can only be done when we prolong our opening times of our shops, sell quality products at reasonable prices, promote traditional food restaurants and activities and unconventional trips to places such as the desalination plant and uranium mines, to allow our tourists to see how Namibia is also developing,” he explained.

He says if Swakopmund implements the proposals at least 3 300 new jobs would be created while the current 10 000 jobs created through tourism would be sustained.

According to him tourism activities such as donkey cart rides and cultural and township tours will be a great idea to incorporate the German heritage with Namibian culture.

“Such activities are not expensive and will be a hit with tourists who are always in search of an African experience when coming to Namibia. Namibia is marketed well internationally. The Namibia Tourism Board is doing an excellent job in this regard. However, Swakopmund itself is not really marketed as a tourism destination. Apart from that there is simply not enough activity to keep tourists at the town,” he said.