Local tourism should be priority

TOURISM is one Namibia’s major top revenue earners and is set to grow as efforts are being made to develop it into a booming sector, while involving more locals to experience what the industry has to offer.

Part of this drive to boost the sector is the country’s premier tourism show, Namibia Tourism Expo 2007, which aims to increase local awareness of the importance of tourism to economic development. The expo, organised by Die Republikein newspaper, kicked off at the Windhoek Showgrounds yesterday and will run until Saturday.Yesterday was traders’ day, but the public are welcome from today.The event was established nine years ago with 54 exhibitors, who increased to 200 in 2004 and 275 in 2006.This year, 276 exhibitors are taking part.The number of visitors to the expo increased to 10 150 last year from 7 100 recorded in 2004.The expo showcases various tourism products and destinations and also has participants from neighbouring countries and overseas.The event also has popular highlights like the chefs’ competition and a motor show.Speaking at the expo’s media launch yesterday, Minister of Environment and Tourism Willem Konjore urged the local industry to take full advantage of the expo as a platform to network and showcase what it has to offer to local, regional and international visitors.He commended the organisers of the event, saying the expo allowed smaller Namibian tourism operators to participate and get exposure.Konjore said it was necessary that locals become tourists in their own country, saying when people had experienced what the sector could offer, they would become informed spokespersons for their own country.”To promote domestic tourism, operators and product owners should aggressively compile packages that are affordable for Namibians,” he said.Konjore again urged the tourism industry to come up with products that would attract international tourists to Namibia in the run-up to the 2010 soccer World Cup to be hosted in South Africa.Chris Jacobie of DMH Newspapers – publishers of Die Republikein – said the expo was a work in progress and called on Namibians to come together in making the event a worthwhile experience.The expo, organised by Die Republikein newspaper, kicked off at the Windhoek Showgrounds yesterday and will run until Saturday.Yesterday was traders’ day, but the public are welcome from today.The event was established nine years ago with 54 exhibitors, who increased to 200 in 2004 and 275 in 2006.This year, 276 exhibitors are taking part.The number of visitors to the expo increased to 10 150 last year from 7 100 recorded in 2004.The expo showcases various tourism products and destinations and also has participants from neighbouring countries and overseas.The event also has popular highlights like the chefs’ competition and a motor show.Speaking at the expo’s media launch yesterday, Minister of Environment and Tourism Willem Konjore urged the local industry to take full advantage of the expo as a platform to network and showcase what it has to offer to local, regional and international visitors.He commended the organisers of the event, saying the expo allowed smaller Namibian tourism operators to participate and get exposure.Konjore said it was necessary that locals become tourists in their own country, saying when people had experienced what the sector could offer, they would become informed spokespersons for their own country.”To promote domestic tourism, operators and product owners should aggressively compile packages that are affordable for Namibians,” he said.Konjore again urged the tourism industry to come up with products that would attract international tourists to Namibia in the run-up to the 2010 soccer World Cup to be hosted in South Africa.Chris Jacobie of DMH Newspapers – publishers of Die Republikein – said the expo was a work in progress and called on Namibians to come together in making the event a worthwhile experience.