President Nangolo Mbumba says the Etotha Carnival is an excellent platform for creating new tourism routes and expanding tourism offerings while boosting the economy.

The four-day Etotha Carnival, which combines ecotourism, adventure, and heritage tourism, is taking place at Kangonde Salt Pan in Oshikoto's Onanke village.

People of all ages came to Kangonde Salt Pan to witness the first-ever carnival, which aims to celebrate cultural heritage and promote tourism among locals and international visitors.

In a message read on his behalf, President Mbumba says Namibia aims to attract new and special tourism segments in order to create tourism routes and expand offerings, with a focus on sustainable heritage tourism development in rural areas.

The event is a collaborative effort by the Ministry of Environment and Tourism, Namibia Tourism Board, and the Ondonga Traditional Authority.

Pohamba Shifeta, the Minister of Environment and Tourism, had this to say about the carnival:

"I am thankful for this productive and strategic partnership. We urge more partners to join the ministry in creating more adventurous products and packaging cultural heritage tourism offerings in Namibia. This will help attract and stimulate domestic tourism demand and enhance the guest experience within the country."

The carnival, set to be an annual occurrence, also aims to revitalize the tourism and gaming sector and create job opportunities, inspired by a similar event hosted in Botswana.

The leader of the Ondonga Traditional Authority, Fillemon Nangolo, says Namibia's tourism industry has vast untapped potential that can benefit the masses:

"We have riches and various opportunities. If we start copying and learning from others, we will not have to depend too much on government aid to sustain ourselves and our families. This benefits not only the Onanke people but everyone who can create value-added items that can be sold here and to tourists when they visit our country."

The event will conclude on Monday.