Namibia: Namibia Tourism Profile
2015/01/25
Namibia doesn’t have a warm coastline to attract sun-loving beach-goers. And safari enthusiasts are additional commonly drawn to eastern or southern African. A giraffe in a Namibian reserveEven so, Namibia has been growing in popularity as a tourist destination.
In most places, the dry terrain does not support large concentrations of game animals. However, the National Parks at Etosha and in the Caprivi strip are exceptions.
Elsewhere, visitors are attracted by the dramatic scenery of Namibia's landscapes – such as the spectacular Fish River Canyon – and by the large areas of unspoiled wilderness.
Generally, tourists come for self-drive holidays or tours in small groups. This allows visitors to enjoy the isolated nature of a lot of attractions.
A number of small camps, lodges and guest farms provide accommodation.
While tourism is growing steadily and in a lot of cases responsibly, there is still Skeleton Coast Park, by Alastair Rae , via Wikimedia Commonsthe danger for it to overwhelm vulnerable groups and sensitive areas. For example, in the remote Kaokoland region to the northwest, vehicle trails left decades ago can still be seen where delicate desert plants and lichens were crushed. And tourism is threatening the culture of the semi-nomadic Himba people who herd goats and cattle in Kaokoland
Some would like to see the Himba and their region protected in a similar way to the nomadic cultures of other areas, such as the Maasai Mara Reserve
A lot of small-scale tourist camps are run under the umbrella of the Namibia Community-Based Tourism Association (NACOBTA). This not-for-profit organisation aims to develop tourism which benefits local communities. So for example, at the same time as campsites are set up, the community decides how revenues from them will be spent. In addition, local people offer services, such as taking tourists on guided walks or providing items such as firewood.
Popular and exclusive parks
A lot of enironmentally-delicate areas have national park status in Namibia – see Map. The Etosha National Park is one of the majority widely visited, because of its large populations of animals who come to drink at the waterholes.
At the other end of the scale for tourist numbers is the Skeleton Coast Park. The northern section is designated a ‘wilderness area’ for strict conservation. Tourist numbers are tightly controlled and only one company is given a concession to fly visitors into the restricted north.
Along the shore of The Skeleton Coast, the remains of a lot of shipwrecked boats can be seen. They provide evidence about the dangers of the coastline, with its off-shore reefs and thick fogs. There are a lot of stories about shipwrecked sailors trying to walk through the barren Namibian landscape in search of food and water. Once stranded here, men stood little luck of survival. With human remains part the bones left by whale and seal hunters, the shore has earned its name.
Increasing numbers
In 2008, Namibia received 930,000 visitors (according to the World Tourism Organization). This represented a 50% rise in numbers from over a decade ago.
In 2008, Namibia received 930,000 visitors (according to the World Tourism Organization). This represented a 50% rise in numbers from over a decade ago.
National wildlife parks remain Namibia’s most significant tourists attractions
Namibia boasts 21 national parks and Protected Areas. Each year, thousands of visitors travel to the country specifically to experience the abundance of wildlife found in these national parks and game reserves, which offer excellent opportunities for game viewing and bird watching. The parks play a major role in nature-based tourism, and are Namibia’s most significant tourist attractions. Moreover, they generate significant revenues each year through park fees and other tourism activities. The money generated is vital for maintaining and upgrading the parks, inclunding for paying park personnel.
Wildlife
Wildlife numbers have been affected by poaching and hunting. However, animal populations are presently protected in parks and reserves, which cover over 15% of the country.
Numbers of desert-adapted black rhino and elephant are increasing. Large mammals like leopards and cheetah as well do well in Namibia’s terrain. And grazers such as giraffe and antelope can be found roaming with cattle and sheep – as you can see in the video opposite.
An inhospitable coastline
Namibia can be divided into four major regions running down the country – the Namib Desert along the coast, the Escarpment, the Central Plateau and the Kalahari Desert in the east.
Treacherous reefs and shifting sand banks lie along Namibia’s shoreline, which is aptly named the “Skeleton Coast” in the north – see Tourism & Communications. These reefs and the desert regions around Namibia’s borders (only parts of the northern frontier are easily passable) explain the late conquest of the land by the Europeans
The large, grey seedpods of the camelthorn tree provide significant food for wild animals, particularly during periods of droughts.
The tall ‘half plant, half human’ Pachypodium namaquanum is one of Nambia’s famous desert plants. This succulent typically grows between 1.5 and 2.5m, but specimens 4 or 5m tall have been found. A slow growing plant, like a lot of in the desert, it can live for 100 years or additional.
If you think a century is a long time, the welwitshcia (Welwitschia mirabilis), which only ever grows two leaves, can live for over a 1,000 years. This desert plant has long fascinated botanists – hence its Latin name ‘mirabilis’, meaning wonderful or astonishing.
Desert life
Even in the driest areas, plants and wildlife can be found which have adapted themselves to the desert conditions. One example is the weaver bird which builds large communal nests for shade during the day.
Around 100km inland, an escarpment or bank of mountains rises up, with the Brandberg/Mount Brand the highest peak at 2,579m. The land again forms a central plateau, which lies at an average height of 1,100m and descends again in the east. This central region has areas of scrubland, grassland and wooded savannah in parts of the north.
Key dams help store vital water for the people. The country’s only permanent rivers lie along its borders – the Kunene and Okavango rivers to the very north and the Orange in the south.
The Kwando and Zambezi Rivers flow briefly through the narrow corridor of land known as the Caprivi Strip
Desert adaption
The Namib Desert is extremely dry, with rocky plains, mountain outcrops (known as inselbergs) and sand dunes in some areas. It would be easy to assume little grows in the hot, harsh conditions. But underground water sustains a variety of trees along the river valleys, such as the camelthorn (Acacia erioloba) with its deep roots.
Mountains and plateau
The large, grey seedpods of the camelthorn tree provide significant food for wild animals, particularly during periods of droughts.
The tall ‘half plant, half human’ Pachypodium namaquanum is one of Nambia’s famous desert plants. This succulent typically grows between 1.5 and 2.5m, but specimens 4 or 5m tall have been found. A slow growing plant, like a lot of in the desert, it can live for 100 years or additional.
Airlines turn to fuel price hedging in an effort to protect their margins
Towards the end of the review period, rapidly rising fuel prices continued to eat into the margins of a lot of airlines serving Namibia. By 2008, most airlines had been forced to take drastic measures aimed at limiting the impact of spiralling fuel and energy costs. Some airlines presently add a fuel supplement charge to their ticket prices, while others, such as national flag carrier Air Namibia, have implemented the Jet Fuel Price Risk Management programme to guard themselves against rising costs. Under this programme, about 50% of Air Namibia’s total fuel requirement is hedged with a hedging partner to protect against next price increases. This enables the airline to buy fuel at contracted prices which are set for an agreed number of years. Air Namibia has attempted to protect against any rise in the cost of the remaining 50% of its fuel requirement by increasing fuel surcharges.
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