22 Mar 2023
The land of endless horizons is richer by 16 enthusiastic fans who belong to the German travel industry. That was the conclusion of an eight-day info tour of the German B2B portal expipoint. The airline Eurowings Discover and the Namibian tourism company Gondwana Collection Namibia were partners of the industry communication platform.
The taster trip under Gondwana's motto "Namibia with heart and soul" led to the Kalahari, in and through the Namib Desert to the coast on the Atlantic. In the process, the Tropic of Capricorn was crossed, and twice.
One of the highlights was Sossusvlei and Dead Vlei in the Namib dunes, where "Big Daddy", the highest dune in the world, was waiting to be climbed. The sundowner drive in the Gondwana Namib Park is also likely to have left a lasting impression. If only because of the mysterious fairy circles. These are bare spots in the grasslands, and there is even a research project on them in the park.
At the coast, an adventurous tour was on the agenda, from the harbour town of Walvis Bay to Sandwich Harbour, where the dune sea and the ocean meet. And a boat trip in a motorised catamaran, with seals and pelicans within reach. Some participants also went on a quad bike tour through the dunes...
Culinary stops included legendary eateries like Kücki's Pub in the coastal town of Swakopmund and Joe's Beerhouse in Windhoek. Overnight stays were in four Gondwana accommodations: The Weinberg Windhoe in Windhoek, Kalahari Anib Lodge, The Desert Grace in the Namib and The Delight Swakopmund in Swakopmund.
For the round trip, Gondwana subsidiary Go2 Traveller Transfers provided one of their comfortable buses with on-board WiFi. Their daily transfers connect Windhoek with the Kalahari, with Sossusvlei, Swakopmund and the Etosha National Park. Three times a week, a bus runs from Windhoek to the Fish River Canyon. The message to travel experts: Cleverly planned, a round trip in Namibia with the transfers also offers an experience of the main attractions, but more comfortable than in a rental car - and a lot cheaper.
Pleasure before business. The 16 travel experts not only enjoyed the many experiences, but also absorbed a lot of information. After all, an important goal of training trips is to be able to advise travel clients competently later on.
Gondwana focused its presentations on the topic of sustainability. The accommodation is run in an environmentally friendly manner, as confirmed by the many awards from the independent institution EcoAwards Namibia. Added to this is nature conservation in the company's four nature parks.
Gondwana's sustainability philosophy includes the people. The approximately 1,200 employees benefit from training programmes and a share in the company. Communal communities receive a fixed share of the revenue generated by the lodges in their area. And the Gondwana Care Trust finances social projects beyond the tourist environment. For the travel experts, this was another facet of their Namibia experience "with heart and soul".
Sven-Eric Stender
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