FMD outbreak raises fresh concerns for Namibia’s tourism sector
Namibia’s foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) outbreak is causing growing concern among tourism operators, with rural lodges facing difficulties sourcing fresh produce and uncertainty over how to procure meat safely while complying with veterinary restrictions.
Hospitality Association of Namibia (HAN) chief executive officer Gitta Paetzold said lodges in rural areas were particularly concerned about maintaining regular supplies. She warned that uncertainty and delays in obtaining guidance could affect service delivery and put businesses at risk.
“Especially our lodges in rural areas are hugely concerned as it is difficult to procure fresh produce at regular intervals,” Paetzold said.
She said HAN had approached the Directorate of Veterinary Services (DVS) for clear guidelines on the safe procurement of meat but had yet to receive a response.
“We reached out to the DVS for clear guidelines on how to safely procure meat to ensure service delivery to guests and have not received any response since. Very disappointing,” she said.
Paetzold acknowledged the pressure on veterinary authorities and the importance of disease-control measures but stressed that tourism businesses also needed guidance to plan their operations and avoid unnecessary losses.
“We fully understand that DVS is under huge pressure and we respect the safety protocols in place. But it is equally important that sectors like tourism and its needs are also considered to ensure that we do not lose business due to non-response and planning,” she said.
The concerns highlight how the impact of FMD could extend beyond livestock farmers and the meat industry to businesses that depend on reliable supply chains to serve visitors.
Rural lodges, often situated far from major towns and established distribution networks, depend on regular deliveries of food and other essential goods. Disruptions to these supplies can complicate daily operations, particularly for establishments catering to international guests who expect consistent standards of service.
For operators, the challenge is to maintain those standards while ensuring that procurement practices comply with veterinary requirements designed to contain the disease.
Clear and timely communication from the relevant authorities is therefore essential, allowing tourism businesses to understand which sourcing arrangements are permitted, plan deliveries and avoid unnecessary disruption.
This comes as Namibia’s formal accommodation sector outperformed both 2025 and pre-pandemic levels in the third quarter of 2026.
According to a report by Simonis Storm, preliminary figures from HAN show that national room occupancy reached 66.49% in the July-to-September quarter, up from 65.31% in 2025 and 64.74% in 2019.
Bed occupancy also improved to 58.86%, compared with 57.17% in 2025 and 55.13% in 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, September room occupancy fell to 66.33%, below both September 2025’s 67.37% and the 67.98% recorded in 2019. Bed occupancy rose to 60.05%, indicating that more guests were sharing occupied rooms.
HAN attributed the quarterly performance largely to strong demand in July and August, when room occupancy reached 62.63% and 69.53%, respectively.
