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.

The Namibia Tourism Board (NTB) has denied claims circulating on social media and in local newspapers that it planned to spend N$60,000 on carnival costumes for politicians at Kangonde Salt Pan in the Oshikoto Region.

In an interview with Nampa, NTB CEO Bonnie Mbidzo clarified that the amount spent on advertising for the event is within the company's budget and is not an uncommon expenditure.

Mbidzo explained that NTB intends to participate in the noble initiative and only spends what is budgeted for. Any claims suggesting otherwise are misleading and inaccurate.