Hey there!
Sorry for the delay in updating the blog. I was back on the road doing tourism stuff around Namibia and helping different small enterprises with advice and information.
Namibia just finished the 14th annual Namibia Tourism Expo! What a hit! It ran from June 6-9, here in Windhoek.
Congratulations to the entire team led by Glenda and Alta, the chief organizers and worker bees!
The Republikein newspaper (Afrikaans language) here in Namibia is the host and main sponsor. They put a ton of money, staff and time into making Expo work. I think they don't get the kudos necessary for doing this not just for their newspaper publishing company, but for the country! Putting that Expo together is a maximum logistical triumph. Namibia's toursim expo is much smaller than the international trade fairs in Berlin or Durban, but in terms of impact in Namibia, it is quite the hit. There were over 400 exhibitors showing their tourism enterprises.
The Expo is a great boost for domestic tourism, but also, there were some SADC regional partners exhibiting as well. Since the South African INDABA in Durban is so overcrowded and SADC countries have been moved out into the backyard so that South African companies can have more prime locations, maybe Namibia should really think seriously about having the EXPO grow, get more overseas agents to come and focus on a forum specifically for SADC tourism companies edged out of the Indaba. We could grow with this idea and then attract all kinds of travel journalists and agents to NAMIBIA!
A bit ambitious? Yes... but why not consider it.
Expo mostly shows the people TOURISM in Namibia which is the third largest contributor to Namibia's GDP. Decision-makers in Namibia need to see this so they understand that more investment in tourism and innovative focus for that investment is a good thing. Expo shows that 'good thing!'
Google the "Republikein" newspaper for photos of the Expo.
