STAFF WRITER
Namibia is targeting to receive 1.8 million tourists annually while increasing employment opportunities from the sporting industry from 1% to at least 3.5% by 2030.
This was said by President Netumbo Nandi – Ndaitwah while officiating at the Creative Sport Tourism Expo in Windhoek on Tuesday
“ Our policy commitments are measurable. Under the National Development Plan (NDP6), we aim to increase the contribution of sport to employment from approximately 1% to 3.5% by 2030. In tourism,Namibia recorded 1,217,108 international tourist arrivals in 2025, compared with 1,257,093 in 2024 – a decline of 3.2 percent. Our target remains 1.8 million tourist arrivals by 2030,”Nandi- Ndaitwah said.
The President reiterated the need for cooperation between the tourism and sporting industry to improve their contribution to the overall Gross Domestic Product as well as creating jobs.
Nandi – Ndaitwah said the current tourism figures reinforces the urgency of diversifying local tourism offering and linking the industry to sport, culture and the creative industries.
She said findings from recent research by the World Economic Forum and Oliver Wyman estimates that the global sports economy generated approximately US$2.3 trillion United in revenue in 2025 .
This is close to 2 percent of global Gross Domestic Product.
“The question before us is therefore not whether opportunity exists, but how Namibia positions itself to secure a greater share of it. When an athlete enters a stadium, the public sees the competition. Yet long before the first whistle, many other people have already been at work. Someone designed and produced the sporting attire,” she said.
The President said both the sport and creative industry and the tourism industry have potential to create massive value chains for the country in future.
“Namibia has everything required to build this kind of economy. We have gifted athletes, designers, artists and performers. We have compelling landscapes, a rich cultural heritage and communities with stories worth sharing. Our coast, deserts, towns and villages can host sporting experiences that draw Namibians and international visitors while creating business for local communities,” she said .
Nandi – ndaitwah said the work of creatives including light and sound engineers, journalists and digital are vital in exposing the performances in sports and tourism.
“I speak about sport with a personal appreciation of what it can mean in the life of a young person. In my younger years, I was a keen netball player, and I believe I played the game rather well.Had the political climate of that time been different, and had our country offered the sporting pathways and opportunities that young people need, perhaps I could have gone much further in the game,” she said.
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