The port of Walvis Bay is expected to receive an extra 65 cruise liners during the period of November to January 2027.

This was brought to light by Erongo Governor Neville Andre during the State of the Region Address at Swakopmund.

Andre says the tourism sector has recorded an increase of 76 percent in the first quarter of the year.

This is an indication that Andre says Erongo Region outperformed all other regions in terms of tourist arrivals from both regional and international visitors.

According to the Hospitality Association of Namibia's report for the first quarter, 55 percent of the national occupancy rate was recorded last year, compared to 34 percent in the preceding year.

"However, the region has experienced an increase in the international and government conference market from 2023 to 2024. Locally, indicative reports from the industry reveal that tourist arrivals have recorded an 87.4 percent increase from 2022 to 2023. The country recorded 863 872 tourists' arrivals in 2023 from 461027 in 2022."

The Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety, and Security has introduced a visa upon arrival at Walvis Bay Harbour to improve the experience of tourists, particularly those arriving on cruise ships.

"The town of Walvis Bay has become the hub of cruise ship tourism and has demonstrated significant growth over the years. It is pleasing to witness the increase in the arrivals of cruise liners between October 2023 and June 2024 compared to the past few years. A total of 29 cruise liners, excluding the LOGOS HOPE, docked at the port of Walvis Bay from South Africa. About 36,085 tourists arrived through the ports of Walvis Bay and Lüderitz."

The Namibia Tourism Board, on the other hand, recorded an increase of 381 new tourism businesses last year, of which tour operators and self-catering accommodation are the majority.