The Minister of Environment, Forestry, and Tourism, Pohamba Shifeta, announced on Monday the appointment of a new board of directors for the Namibia Tourism Board (NTB), with effect from November 1, 2023, to October 31, 2026.

They are Janette Fourie as chairperson to be deputised by Olavi Hamwele, and Ally Karaerua, Maggy Mbako, Nguvitjita Zatjirua, Efraim Nkoshi, and Rachel Nathaniel-Koch as members.

In his remarks, Shifeta said the appointment of the new board is being made at the most crucial time in the tourism sector when it is in its full recovery mode after the COVID-19 pandemic and when stakeholders expect much from NTB in both regulating the industry and marketing and promoting ‘Destination Namibia’.

"The government would like to realise improvements, among others, in the areas of the development of new products and route development across the country to spread tourism economic activities to the rest of the country, as well as the development of cultural heritage tourism products and packaged experiences and popularising the gastronomy experiences of the Namibian cuisine,” he said.

The government would also like to see improvements in the marketing of and development of new products and services in the Transfrontier Conservancy Areas (TFCA), such as Kavango-Zambezi, Ai-Ais Richtersveld, the Iona TFCA area, and many other areas where it is feasible to increase the variety and value of tourism experiences in the country.

“To achieve this, there must be meaningful institutional alignment, cooperation, collaboration, and increased synergy between NTB and the portfolio ministry, other ministries, Namibian embassies and high commissions abroad, and relevant government agencies, among others,” Shifeta said.

Furthermore, given the competitiveness of the sector, Namibia, through NTB as its agency in the promotion of its tourism sector and in collaboration with other partners and stakeholders, should take up the promotion and marketing of the country at a high level and reposition Namibia as a destination of first choice for leisure tourism, adventure, and business, he said.

“The country can only achieve these with a new mindset and innovative thinking. I would like to urge NTB to adopt a new mindset in conducting its business, especially in its marketing and regulatory functions,” Shifeta added.