Justicia Shipena
Erongo Governor Neville André contends that the environment and tourism industries
are seen as low-hanging fruit to promote development through the creation of jobs by
increasing tourism investment and arrivals.
Speaking at the fifth Pan-African Youth in Tourism Innovation Challenge and Summit's
ceremonial opening in Swakopmund, André said the event is a chance to advance intra-
Africa travel, tourism leadership and capacity building.
The summit is hosted in collaboration with the Africa Tourism Partners South Africa
and the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), and is the only Pan-
African Youth and start-up tourism summit on the continent, started by the continent's
vibrant youth in Durban, South Africa, in 2019.
This year’s summit theme, ‘Developing Youth and Innovative Entrepreneurship Solution
for Inclusive Tourism Recovery in Africa’, gives young people and developing
businesses in tourism, travel, hotel, aviation, and other related industries a voice.
“The sector is viewed as a low-hanging fruit to spur development through job creation
by increasing tourism investment and arrivals,” André said.
He said Namibia views the event as a chance to advance intra-Africa travel, tourism
leadership, and capacity building.
The Governor further said the Namibian government has taken significant steps to
ensure sound conservation practices, which has helped Namibia gain recognition as one
of the world's top nations for managing biodiversity and conservation.
"The tourism industry in particular has been identified by the Government of the
Republic of Namibia as a key driver of the economy," he pointed out.
Although the sector's real value has not yet returned to its pre-pandemic levels, André
said it is exhibiting encouraging growth and emphasised the urgent need to keep on
boosting the sector's performance.
The worldwide travel and tourism sector is still showing significant indications of
recovery, according to UNWTO.
The UNWTO's most recent World Tourism Barometer suggests that the global tourism
industry has recovered to around 60% of its pre-pandemic levels.
André stated that the business and incentive travel hub of Southern Africa is quickly
emerging as Swakopmund.
"Swakopmund is also regarded as an adventure capital, and has a lot to offer visitors
looking for an adventurous vacation in Namibia," he said.
According to the Minister of Environment, Forestry and Tourism, Pohamba Shifeta, the
summit was created to support African youth and small businesses, and give them a
niche in the ever expanding travel and tourist ecosystem.
"Young people of Africa, therefore, aim to become transformational industry change-
makers and immediate future leaders of this important and profitable global travel and
tourism sector," Shifeta indicated.
He said the fourth Africa Youth In Tourism Innovation Challenge and Summit, which
Namibia held last year, had positive effects on both the nation and the continent's youth.
He said it raised awareness of the value of the tourist sector and its spillover effects on
other industries.
"It provided a greater insight to high school and university graduates participating in
different career paths in the tourism sector, exposed the Namibian youth to employment
opportunities within the sector through networking, market access and insights into the
African tourism supply chain, as well as the new and evolving digital solutions and
innovative ways of doing business," the Minister said.
Shifeta has hopes that the youth of Namibia and of all of Africa would grasp and make
the most of the lessons from the summit and take advantage of opportunities in the
tourism and technology sectors.
Thus, he insisted that the summit's additional objectives include harmonising and
influencing governmental policies, introducing new technologies and tactics, and
supporting the expansion of small, medium, and micro enterprises (SMMEs).
The Minister said the African youth are the genuine and astute agents of change in the
continent's societies and economies.
"Being creative and innovative yields a valuable asset and businesses which is required
to enhance economic and human capital development that will contribute to the gross
domestic product in your respective countries," Shifeta told attendees.
He encouraged young people to embrace innovation and digital disruption in order to
prosper in the tourism industry.
