Namibia risks losing tourists over poor internet access
The Hospitality Association of Namibia (HAN) has raised alarm over what it described as the rapid deterioration of telecommunications and internet connectivity across Namibia’s rural areas, warning that the country risks losing tourism business to neighbouring destinations with stronger and more affordable digital infrastructure.
In a letter addressed to the managing director of MTC, Licky Erastus, the association said that unreliable network coverage, persistent service interruptions, and soaring connectivity costs are crippling tourism operators, particularly in remote regions where communications are critical for reservations, payments, guest services, and emergencies.
HAN stressed that modern tourism depends heavily on fast and reliable internet access, adding that telecommunications are no longer a luxury, but an essential business requirement.
According to the association, many lodges and camps operating in remote areas have endured years of failed incoming and outgoing calls, unstable internet services and prolonged outages that severely disrupt daily operations.
“As it stands now, Namibia is fast losing out on its competitiveness,” the association said, warning that tourism businesses is increasingly being redirected to neighbouring countries that offer stronger and more diverse telecommunications services.
The association noted that some tourism operators have identified affordable and reliable internet access as their “single biggest constraint to growth” for more than two decades.
HAN said many operators are currently forced to rely on Telecom Namibia’s Airfibre or Wimax services at a cost of roughly N$10 000 per month, despite severe limitations in reliability and capacity.
Due to inadequate service levels, some establishments have reportedly turned to alternative low-earth orbit satellite systems that are legal in Namibia, at significantly higher costs.
According to submissions received by the association, some lodges are spending as much as N$37 000 per month for a 2TB capped package, which is only sufficient for business systems and excludes guest internet demand. To adequately serve guests sharing travel experiences online, operators reportedly need double the capacity, pushing monthly internet costs to about N$70 000, or roughly N$840 000 annually.
HAN compared this to neighbouring South Africa, where businesses can reportedly access uncapped 570 Mbps internet services for approximately R1 200 per month.
The association highlighted the Zambezi Region as one of the worst-affected areas, despite its strategic position within the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA), shared by Namibia, Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Angola.
While network coverage in Katima Mulilo is considered adequate, HAN said rural parts of the region remain severely underserved. Telecom Namibia reportedly has limited coverage outside the town, leaving MTC as the only viable provider in many areas.
However, operators claim MTC’s rural service is highly inconsistent, with towers frequently offline and network performance deteriorating significantly during the rainy season.
HAN further criticised the discontinuation of Telecom Namibia’s VSAT product, which many remote lodges previously relied on to process payments and conduct essential business activities.
The association said that after VSAT services ended, neither Telecom Namibia nor MTC sufficiently expanded rural infrastructure to meet growing demand.
The organisation also requested an update from MTC regarding a pilot project introduced in the Zambezi Region last year to test new connectivity technology at selected lodges. According to HAN, the trial reportedly delivered promising results before it was discontinued ahead of the 2025 tourism high season, despite assurances that a formal business proposal would follow.
HAN said frustration within the tourism sector is mounting, adding that the problem extends beyond tourism to affect agriculture, mining, education and healthcare services in remote areas.
The association questioned whether there are any concrete plans to strengthen Namibia’s telecommunications infrastructure to accommodate the rapidly increasing number of users and growing dependence on digital systems nationwide.
“We hope that you understand the urgency in which we raise this matter,” HAN said, expressing hope that stronger investment and infrastructure development would restore confidence in Namibia’s telecommunications sector and improve connectivity in rural areas.
