By Sostenus Wilherm
Namibia’s tourism industry has suffered its first setback since recovering from the Covid-19 pandemic.
Namibia recorded 39,985 fewer tourist arrivals in 2025 compared to the previous year, prompting government to admit that crime targeting visitors and the implementation of new visa requirements have dented the country’s appeal as a travel destination.
The environment, forestry and tourism minister Indileni Daniel described the 3.2 percent decline in visitor arrivals as a warning that Namibia must urgently restore confidence in its tourism brand.
The report shows that tourist arrivals fell from 1.26 million in 2024 to 1.22 million in 2025, reversing the country’s recent growth trajectory in one of its most important economic sectors.
Daniel said government views the figures as a clear signal that Namibia is facing mounting competition and internal challenges that require immediate intervention.
“While this marginal decrease may be viewed as statistically minor, we must treat it as a wake-up call and a clear signal to all of us to renew our focus and improve our competitiveness as a country,” Daniel said.
The minister identified crime against tourists as one of the principal factors behind the decline, acknowledging that incidents widely reported in local and international media had damaged Namibia’s reputation in key tourism markets.
“It is of great concern that this decline has been recorded across some of our key source markets, including Germany, South Africa and France. This decrease can be traced to specific factors that transpired during the year under review, particularly safety concerns that made headlines in both international and local print and social media following incidents of crime committed against our tourists. This is an issue of major concern that we simply cannot and should not tolerate,” she added.
Daniel stressed that attacks and criminal acts targeting visitors are unacceptable and warned that protecting tourists must become a national priority if Namibia is to remain competitive against rival destinations.
She also acknowledged that the revised visa regime introduced by the Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security experienced implementation challenges during its initial rollout.
The minister said government’s immediate priority is now to rebuild confidence among international travellers by improving visitor safety, strengthening destination marketing and expanding tourism offerings beyond traditional attractions.
Among the proposed interventions is the implementation of the National Spatial Tourism Masterplan, which recommends establishing a permanent inter-institutional working group dedicated to tourism safety, security and crisis management.
Daniel also called for targeted marketing campaigns in established and emerging source markets while encouraging investment in new tourism products, including cruise tourism and astro-tourism, to diversify Namibia’s tourism portfolio.
Despite the decline in arrivals, the minister described the latest report as an important milestone because it includes, for the first time, statisnational parks, providing policymakers with richer data to guide future planning.
She emphasised that tourism statistics remain essential for evidence-based decision-making, helping government understand visitor demographics, travel motivations, length of stay and other trends that influence policy and investment.
Daniel also praised workers across the tourism value chain from hospitality establishments and transport operators to tour guides, conservation organisations and cultural enterprises for maintaining service standards despite the challenging operating environment.
She further commended the Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security for providing the arrival and departure data used to compile the annual report.
