The Namibia Economist

Summit to have great spin-offs for tourism

Namibia’s tourism sector will benefit from great spin-offs should the country win the bid to host the Adventure Travel World Summit, therefore every Namibian should support the initiative, says Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, Minister of Environment and Tourism.
Nandi-Ndaitwah says the summit presents a “valuable opportunity for the local tourism industry to position the Namibian tourism product to representatives of adventure tourism associations from across the world.
“Reaching these international tour operators through the Adventure World Travel Summit 2013 will not only create awareness of Namibia, but will also yield positive returns to the Namibian economy in terms of increased tourism bookings and arrivals downstream, and direct economic impacts for Namibia as host of this international event. This event can further improve the diplomatic positioning of brand Namibia as a stable, forward-looking, progressive country open for visitors and available for increased investment as well,” the environment minister said.
The Adventure Travel World Summit is held annually and brings decision makers of the global tourism industry together, as well as travel enthusiasts. The Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA) which organises the summit, is a global membership organisation consisting of 700 people who represent tour operators, destination marketing organisations, tourism boards, speciality travel agents, guides accommodations, media as well as service providers.
The ATTA aims to promote and grow the adventure travel market, provide exclusive professional support, develop, market, businesses building and cost-save resources to ATTA members, provide a unifying voice for the industry and to research, anticipate, interpret and share travel, consumer and industry trends.
The Adventure Travel World Summit has never been held in Africa and if Namibia wins the bid to host it, it will position the country as a decision-maker in the tourism sector on the continent, the Ministry of Environment and Tourism says.
The country officially bided to host the summit in October last year. A national committee has been set up in order to identify the venues where visitors will be hosted, what activities they will engage in as well as to market Namibia as the preferred destination to host the summit.
The private sector has also pledged to support the initiative, with organisations such as the Tour and Safari Association (TASA), Hospitality Association of Namibia (HAN) and the Federation of Namibia Tourism Associations (FENATA) committing themselves to make Namibia’s bid a success.
Accommodation establishments in both Windhoek and Swakopmund has further committed to provide accommodation for delegates.
“We must all view the hosting of this summit as a national initiative, a real public-private sector partnership and not only a tourism sector initiative or one dominated by public sector entities,” said Nandi-Ndaitwah.
Namibia will be marketed as a “proud messenger of good news from Africa”; a safe holiday destination; a country with excellent infrastructure, efficient telecommunication and great roads and as a value-for-money destination.
Namibia will submit its bid on 1 March. The ATTA will then visit the country as part of an inspection trip in June, thereafter the winner will be announced in August.

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