Namibia reopened for tourism and casino

Namibian President Hage Geingob announced changes in the lockdown easing in a live televised broadcast; the reopened of commercial activities in the country. The lockdown restriction ease will officially begin on September 1st with international flights, schools reopening, and alcohol sales in place.

The night-time curfew in Covid-19 hotspots such as the capital city Windhoek and the Erongo region will continue. Further said, Hosea Kutako International Airport would open its doors to international travelers from today, September 1st. Restaurants and hotels outside the worst affected Windhoek and Erongo region can start operations for tourist arrivals and all essential activities.

However, the Covid-19 pandemic crisis has threatened the country’s economy that relies on tourism, which is one of the significant sources of revenue for the Namibia government. According to the country Central Bank, Namibia’s economy expected to contract by 7.8% in 2020 and makes a moderate recovery when all activities picked up in 2021—revising an earlier forecast of 6.9% for 2020. Perhaps, the Covid-19 pandemic crisis resulting in the public health guidelines to curb the spread, leading to the lockdown of all commercial activities in the country. The southern African country has 6,906 confirmed case COVID-19 cases and a recorded death total of 65 with 55 recorded in August. Moreover, Global leaders weigh all options, particularly the economic and social effects of the lockdown, the continued lockdown in their respective countries, especially the majorities that rely on tourism, and Namibia is one of the countries in Africa that depend on tourists arrivals.

Consequently, tourism is vital, and Namibia is home to diverse wildlife, including a significant cheetah population. The capital Windhoek and Coastal town Swakopmund contain German colonial-era buildings. Annually over one million travelers visit Namibia, with roughly one in three coming from South Africa, then Germany and the United Kingdom, Italy, France. Tourism contributes $7.2billion to the country’s GDP yearly. It is quite interesting to know that tourism work-hand-hand with land-based casino gambling with Hotels and restaurants to open in the capital city along with the International flight, of course, a welcome development to land-based casino operators. However, various forms of land-based gambling are legal under the current gambling legislation in the country.

Casino gambling is the most popular form of gambling in Namibia and contributes to the tune of about $22 million annually to state revenue. There are 260 license holders (six casinos 254 gambling houses), a total of 2,845 registered gambling machines, according to the last report by the Minister of Finance, Pohamba Shifeta. The capital play host to most of the casinos is the Mermaid casino located inside Swakopmund Hotel. That boasts 180 slot machines, video poker machines, and nine tables for other games, including American Roulette, Blackjack, Stud Poker, and Casino Hold ’em. It is a quite fascinating development for sectors in this category that today, September 1st is indeed vital for the survival of the business in general.

Moreover, Namibia shares land borders with Zambia and Angola to the north, Botswana to east South Africa to the south. The eastern Namibia western border is the Atlantic Ocean, with a population of over 2 million people.

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