Image:Charmaine Matheus, Acting CEO of NTB
Namibia took a bold step into the Chinese market with its recent “Beyond Dunes, Strong Fun” roadshow, hosted by the Namibia Tourism Board (NTB) across three of China’s major cities: Beijing, Chengdu, and Shanghai. Held from October 27 to November 1, 2024, this initiative marked a strategic push to build Namibia’s presence in a rapidly recovering Chinese outbound tourism market, projected to reach 130 million travelers this year. Despite some challenges, the roadshow was well received, fostering deeper connections between Namibian tourism suppliers and Chinese tour operators, influencers, and media.
Reflecting on the roadshow’s significance, the Acting CEO of NTB; Charmaine Matheus noted in her welcoming address,
“The NTB had a fruitful engagement with various Chinese Travel Trade representatives in Beijing yesterday.” She emphasized that “China is a growing market for Namibia in terms of tourism, which requires continuous and great effort to increase our market share.” Referencing Namibia’s recent growth, she added, “Arrivals from Asia increased from 1.2% in 2022 to 1.6% in 2023,” according to the Ministry of Environment, Forestry & Tourism’s Annual Tourism Statistics Report (2023). Looking forward, she assured that “the NTB will continue to embark on aggressive promotional strategies to increase our footprint within the region.”
Amy Qing, NTB representative in China, shared her enthusiasm for bringing Namibia’s distinct offerings to a new audience, explaining that the tour’s goal was “to increase exposure and awareness of destination Namibia in China” and help Namibian suppliers “build up more and new business relationships with Chinese tour operators”.
The events saw impressive attendance, despite Typhoon KangRey affecting turnout in Shanghai. In total, 271 Chinese tourism professionals and media representatives attended in person, with an additional 1,610 viewers joining a live stream for the Shanghai session, which NTB China quickly organized to accommodate those impacted by the severe weather. Ethiopian Airlines, NTB’s aviation partner, added excitement with a lucky draw for round-trip tickets from China to Namibia, further incentivizing travel to Namibia.
In addition to live events, NTB China reached thousands of potential travelers through strategic social media efforts on platforms like WeChat, Douyin, and Red Book, generating over 60,000 views and helping build Namibia’s brand image. NTB China also distributed promotional items like themed handbags and plush toys to attendees, enhancing engagement and brand recall.
Namibian suppliers expressed optimism for further collaboration, with several commenting on the importance of face-to-face interactions in building relationships with Chinese partners. Representatives voiced enthusiasm for exploring additional cities in China in future tours, confident in the “vast potential” of the Chinese tourism market.
The “Beyond Dunes, Strong Fun” roadshow concluded with a farewell gathering at Shanghai’s iconic Oriental Pearl TV Tower, celebrating the success of NTB’s initiative to strengthen ties between Namibia and China. As the representative from Joy Travel shared, “We will fully support NTB to explore more cities in China and bring more Chinese tourists to Namibia”.
The roadshow’s success underlines Namibia’s commitment to building a long-term presence in the Chinese market, opening a promising chapter in Namibia-China tourism relations.
