Namibia Launches "Tourism Heroes" Campaign

Namibia recently established the "Tourism Heroes" campaign to acknowledge and support individuals and organizations involved in ensuring the safety, care, and preservation of the country's tourism industry. The initiative, led by the Gondwana Collection, addresses a surge in criminal activities targeting international tourists and aims to help the government in quickly identifying and bringing to justice those responsible. The campaign also involves a reward system and has received financial backing from the Gondwana Collection.

The Namibian Minister of Environment, Forestry and Tourism, Pohamba Shifeta, emphasized that the reward system is intended to support government efforts in swiftly addressing criminal activities targeting tourists and tourist establishments. This includes identifying and bringing perpetrators to justice. Gondwana Collection Namibia has already shown its commitment by contributing 1 million Namibian dollars to this cause.

The initiative has also garnered support from Peter Katjavivi, the speaker of the National Assembly in Namibia, who stressed the importance of the hospitality industry and making Namibia a welcoming destination for all tourists. He highlighted the need to ensure the safety and hospitality of visitors and make Namibia the preferred destination for experiencing true African hospitality.

In recent weeks, Namibia has witnessed a series of violent attacks on international tourists, prompting concerns from the government about the impact on the country's tourism industry. The "Tourism Heroes" initiative seeks to address these security concerns and protect the industry, which is a significant contributor to Namibia's gross domestic product.