Namibia is becoming an increasingly popular travel destination, confirmed by the 2015 visitor statistics that have been published by Pohamba Shifeta, minister of environment and tourism.

Some 1.5 million international visitors travelled to Namibia in 2015, an increase of 5.1 per cent on the previous year.

With 91.3 per cent (a total of 1,387,773 individuals), the largest group of visitors consisted of tourists.

Namibia registered 233,717 tourists from Europe – a 5.4 per cent increase in comparison with the previous year and a record number since statistics collection begun.

Some 34.8 per cent of European tourists planned to stay in the country for eight to 14 days; 23.9 per cent planned to stay for 15 to 21 days.

Trips from July to November were especially popular among European tourists, with the most popular travel months being August and October.

Among tourists from Europe visiting Namibia, the largest group consisted of those between 50 and 60+ years of age.

Maureen Posthuma, area manager Europe, Namibia Tourism Board, summed up the findings: “There was a positive trend in the numbers of visitors and tourists from Europe overall, particularly in the second half of the year, with record results from Germany and strong growth in some other European markets, such as the Netherlands, Belgium and Italy.

“Our tourism partners in Namibia as well as in the source markets, which facilitate continuous further development of Namibia as a travel destination, are of crucial importance in this context.

“Thanks to the commitment of the tourism industry as well as the strategic marketing work of the Namibia Tourism Board, Namibia has succeeded in positioning itself as a competitive, multi-faceted year-round travel destination that offers unforgettable experiences amid nature and the animal kingdom, authentic cultural encounters and a wide range of activities and adventures.”