Sustainable Tourism in
Namibia
By Akotowaa
Sustainable Tourism
Preserves
natural
environment
Respects
culture of the
locals
Guarantees
livelihood of
locals
Some facts about Namibia
 Most arid country south of the Sahara Desert
 Receives 258 millimeters of rain a year.
 Very low population density – about 2 people per kilometer.
 Three topographical zones:
 Western Coastal zone – home of Namib Desert
 Eastern Desert Zone
 Semi-arid central plateau
 Desertification is a barrier to economic progress
 300 days of sunshine a year – great for tourism.
How Important is Tourism in Namibia?
Tourism in Namibia against Africa and The World - 2009 stats
20
18
16
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
Namibia
Sub-Saharan Africa
% contribution to GDP
The World
% of people employed
% annual growth
Contributing factors to Namibia’s Economy
Constitutes 40% of
country’s GDP
Mining
Eg. Diamonds
Tourism
Grown steadily since
Namibia’s
Independence in 1990
Agriculture
and Fishing
Namibia’s Main Attractions
Natural Environment
Diverse Cultures
Archaeological Sites
Natural Environment
 40% of wildlife located in protected and communal areas.
 Commercial farms on private lands contain majority of the wildlife.
 Privately-owned semi-arid to arid range lands have multimillion-pound industries
based on
 Viewing of game animals
 Controlled destruction/ trophy hunting
 (Trophy hunting: Selective hunting of wild game animals)
Namibia’s Tourism Bodies
Ministry for the Environment and Tourism
• Monitors impact of tourism on the environment
• Concerned with land degradation/desertification, water scarcity, threats to biodiversity etc
Namibia Tourism Board
• Regulating aspects of the tourist industry
• Eg accommodation, transport, catering
Namibia Community Based Tourism Association
• Provides funding for new ventures
• Ensures that money raised from tourism reaches local community
Issues Faced vs UN Environmental Program
Recommendations
Issues
UNEP Recommendations
 Overconsumption of resources
 Use alternatives to fuelwood
 Tourists consume up to 3 times
water of local people
 Demands for hot water uses a lot
of fuelwood
 Low carrying capacity of desert
environments
 Use purified water instead of mineral
water in plastic bottles
 Use dry toilets, burn toilet paper
 Use biodegradable detergent
 High waste output
 Tourists take their non-biodegradable
waste home
 Looting of paintings and engravings
 Forbidding flash photography etc
Issues Faced vs UN Environmental Program
Recommendations
Issues
UNEP Recommendations
 Tourists’ disrespectful behaviour
 Produce should be bought from
local communities
 Eg, in the way they dress
 Use of offensive gestures
 Intrusive photography
 Restricting locals’ access to grazing
land and water, where resources
are under pressure
 Encourage intercultural
understanding
 Provide language training
 Draw on expertise and knowledge
of local communities
Responsible tourism at
the local scale
Himba people of Kaokoland
About Kaokoland
 In Northern Namibia
 40 000 km2
 Less than 30 000 inhabitants
 Himba people: semi-nomadic, pastoral population
 Pastoral: Relating to shepherds or herdsmen or devoted to raising sheep or cattle.
(Pastures)
 Main food: cow milk, meat
 Cattle are the main symbol of wealth
Himba people
Himba people
 Huts made from tree saplings mixed with mud and dung
 Surrounded by animal pens
 Wear traditional dresses
 Speak local language
 Follow traditional behavioural codes
 Attracted many anthropologists
 Lifestyle probably related to their geographical location
Himba people
Himba people
 Plaster skin and hair with butter and ash for protection against the sun, and
youthful looks
 Wear elaborate jewellery
 Intricate weaving of hair
How Himba reflects sustainable tourism
 Maintaining the culture of the local people




Language
Dressing
Hunting
Food
 Tourists have not interfered with the locals or the environment
Damaraland
Accommodation at Damaraland Camp
 Damaraland was named by the World Travel and Tourism Council in 2005 as the
winner of the Tourism Tomorrow Conservation Award
 Award recognizes and promotes practices in responsible tourism
 Camp is run by local Damara people, and western operator Wilderness Safaris
 Set up in 1996
 Camp consists of tents on wooden platforms, shaded and open to breeze
 Verandahs have a view of the Haub River Valley and the mountains
 Game is driven into the valley
Accommodation at Damaraland Camp
 Food is eaten in a dining area of local stone and canvas
 Plunge pool for guests
 Sustains itself without donor funding
 Profits go to




mobile clinics,
educational materials,
running water,
Anti-poaching patrols. (Poaching: illegal hunting of game)
 10% income goes back onto the communities from Wilderness Safaris
 Populations in conservancy have doubled since 1996.
More Helpful Sites
 http://www.mdgfund.org/program/sustainableculturaltourismnamibia
 http://www.worldwildlife.org/stories/namibia-s-sustainable-tourism-success