Economists predict that the tourism sector's performance this year will remain strong. 

The sector contributes a substantial amount to the country's GDP, thus the need to strengthen the sector through public-private partnerships.

These sentiments were shared at the FNB Namibia Tourism Talk held in Windhoek.

Tourism is the fastest-growing economic sector and employs over 100,000 Namibians, especially from rural areas.

The sector, according to the Namibia Tourism Satellite Account report, contributed more than N$14 billion, equivalent to 6.9% of the country's GDP, in 2022.

Speakers, including Barry Clemens, Chief Executive Officer of Hospitality EQ in Kenya, and Martin Webb-Brown, co-founder of Ultimate Safaris in Namibia, delved into the different possibilities that Namibia can look at to grow the sector.

These include, among others, public-private partnerships, community engagement, innovation, and technology, specifically to accelerate services, customer service, and affordability.

The discussion concluded that adaptation, sustainability, and innovation have become imperatives for the continued growth and resilience of Namibia's tourism industry.