7 Mar 2025
The land of endless horizons continues to present itself successfully as a travel destination in Europe. Namibia was represented at several travel trade fairs. At the end of the International Tourismus-Börse (ITB, travel trade fair) in Berlin, the Namibia Tourism Board (NTB) drew a positive balance.
"ITB Berlin 2025 was an incredible show for Namibia," said NTB Marketing Director for Europe, Matthias Lemcke, on his LinkedIn page today. The three-day ITB, the world's most important tourism trade fair, ended yesterday.
"Our co-exhibitors reported successful meetings and new business contacts," said Lemcke. There had been very intensive discussions with top managers from airlines and tour operators, with ministers and heads of tourist boards. Journalists also came to the stand to find out about Namibia as travel destination.
In total, around 5,800 companies from 170 countries exhibited at the ITB. Over the three days of the fair, 100,000 trade visitors attended. 87 per cent of participants travelled from abroad.
Two large-scale advertising campaigns with well-known brands also attracted attention to Namibia. A campaign with the car tyre brand Falken Tyre , which has been running since June, entered its final phase. Launched last June, it ran across several channels in six European countries with a wide reach.
The FalkenAdventureCamp marked the end of this campaign. Three weeks before the ITB, a group of self-drivers, journalists and content creators travelled to Namibia to experience the adventure of a lifetime. The programme included challenging four-wheel driving and roof tent camping.
At the same time, footage was shot for the new Falken commercial for the 'Wildpeak' off-road tyre. Videos and interviews were also produced for various media channels throughout Europe.
The ITB also marked the start of a joint campaign with the quality brands Deuter and JLR (Jaguar Land Rover) Defender Experience. Content creators are invited to test the new Deuter Travel Gear products on a road trip through Namibia.
The campaign is running in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, the Benelux and Nordic countries, the UK, France and Italy. The target group is outdoor enthusiasts and adventurous self-drivers. Matthias Lemcke's conclusion: "We as NTB are looking forward to a very promising year."
The NTB reception on the eve of the ITB was also a well-attended event. Its main purpose was to present the new online platform for applying for a visa-on-arrival (for more information on the platform, see the report on Namibian.org).
At the reception, the new NTB Managing Director, Sebulon Chicalu, also introduced himself to the international markets. Chicalu only took up his post on 1 March. He was previously Director of Tourism and Gaming in the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism (see LinkedIn profile ).
Namibia has also toured northern Europe. On 2 December, the NTB and some organisers were at the 'Travel News Market' in Stockholm. From 17 to 19 January, Namibia presented itself at the Matka Travel Fair in Helsinki.
Namibia's appearance at the Fitur travel fair in Madrid (22 to 26 January) was equally important. It took place under the patronage of Namibian Ambassador Albertus Aochamub. Spain is seen as a market with great growth potential.
Shortly before ITB Berlin, the NTB also organised a so-called Fam trip (familiarisation tour) to the far north-east of Namibia. Participants were product managers from leading tour operators in Germany and Switzerland.
NTB Director for Europe, Matthias Lemcke, accompanied the group on the tour to the Zambezi region. The programme included boat trips, visits to the communities living there and, of course, the diverse wildlife. This is where the Kavango Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA TFCA) is located.
Sven-Eric Stender
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