NAMIBIAN SHOWCASE

Bordered by a wild untamed desert coastline in a South Western corner of Africa, there is a pristine wilderness of singular charm that features a superabundance of wildlife. The Namibian Travel Expo is mounted every year to showcase that country’s bounteous touring opportunities. 

Roy Watts went to take a look.

Namibia is huge - roughly the size of Pakistan. And tucked away within its far flung borders are the most varied and unique landscapes on the planet. Vast scrub and scattered grasslands compete with no less than four deserts, each with their own eco system and characteristics. Craggy peaks with boulders as big as oil rigs stand sentinel over diverse plains that alternate between scrub, savannah, and bushveld, whilst towering dunes dominate the endless deserts creating a sandy vista of spectacular symmetry. 

Cutting a swath north to south is the breathtaking Fish River Canyon – no less grand than its more famous American counterpart. 

And running through the renowned Etosha Game Reserve is a road separating a shimmering salt pan from the prevailing vegetation, creating unique game viewing opportunities. In the far north, the water-rich paradise of Caprivi provides a lush counterpoint to the hauntingly beautiful moonscape that is Namibia.

Living in this great expanse of bio diversity is an equally mixed populace best characterised by the various tongues. Bantu languages are spoken by the Herero, Owambo, Kavango, Kaprivians, and Tswana, whilst Khoisan dialects are used by San Bushmen and the Damara. English is the official language and in urban areas it is joined by Afrikaans and German. 

The latter is the legacy of a distant colonisation that ended after the First World War. Much of this culture prevails, with Algemeine Zeieung as one of the major newspapers. German beer and customs are deeply entrenched throughout Namibia, and Swakopmund could easily be mistaken for a Bavarian frontier town. 

Adding to Namibia’s potent tourist appeal is an abundance of wildlife featuring great herds of elephant, buck, giraffe and buffalo, supported by a full cast of predators. When linked to the superb climate - hot in summer and temperate with cold evenings in winter – there can be no finer venue for those seeking escape from the pressure cooker of modern life. 

Tourism is presently the fastest growing sector in its economy.

In order to harness this potential, the Namibian Tourist Board was formed in 2002, with a head office in Windhoek, and representation in Cape Town, Johannesburg, Frankfurt, London and Paris. Their mission is to overtake mining as the pillar of commerce, and the primary weapon in this mission is a wonderful travel expo held annually in Windhoek. 

The Namibian Tourist Exposition started life as a wine and biltong affair in 1999, and was the brainchild of an Afrikaans dominee. It wasn‘t a success, but its potential was recognised by DMH, a media conglomerate running the national Afrikaans and German newspapers along with an FM radio station. They took the concept over, broadened the travel focus, and handed the project over to Glenda Grobler. She promptly co-opted her husband Jan, a tour operator of practical mien, thus launching the driving team behind this very successful exhibition.

The first full scale travel expo was held in one half of the local Country Club’s convention centre, with all the local tour operators, game lodges and hostelries occupying stands where they pitched their wares to a receptive public. It was an immediate success. Neither Glenda nor Jan had any experience in running exhibitions, but were resourceful with plenty of intuition and goedspa. Through a process of trial and even more error, they guided the project through a phase of sustained growth and development. 

The following year they occupied both halves of the Convention Centre, before moving onto a new site at the Bauhaus Club when things became too tight. Much of their success and consequent growth was fuelled by innovative additions to the concept. Early on they recognised the importance of boosting the ‘gate coffers’ by increasing the range of activities, and a large camping element was added to the show. They also linked up with the Namibian Chefs Association to launch the Chef of the Year competition in which participants have 2½ hours to produce a 3 course meal. All of this brought more feet through the turnstiles and a move to the showgrounds where they occupied three halls along with an extensive outdoor area.

Commercial exhibits were the next initiative, giving local manufacturers, and some from neighbouring countries a venue from which to display their wares to a burgeoning audience. This was very much a side show, and the emphasis remained on travel.

Next up was a 4x4 SUV section which has since morphed into a full scale car show. Most popular of all however has been the introduction of a Gourmet Hall, where internationally famous chefs like South African Jenny Morris, give ongoing cooking demonstrations. Surrounding exhibits are all linked to a gourmet theme. 

The Namibian Trade Expo has progressed to the point where it now occupies the entire showgrounds, and is more like the ‘Getaway’ and ‘Outdoor’ shows in South Africa. Unlike Durban’s mammoth Indaba Travel Exposition that is almost exclusively geared towards the tourist trade, the Namibian one caters for the consumer as well. With winter well under way, I leaped at the opportunity to swap a grey cold and wet Cape Town for the sunshine of Windhoek under a cobalt sky.

Wandering around the Windhoek Showgrounds, I was in for many surprises. First up was a fire engine red Ferrari F1 racing car, the centerpiece in a lone building sandwiched between two large exhibition halls. 

Here in the wilds of Africa, was the car that Michael Schumacher drove to win the 2002 world championship.

How it got there is a story in itself and is a tribute to the collaborative efforts of Jan Grobler and Shell, the exhibitors who sponsored the caper.

Whilst watching the Namibian Chef of the Year contestants feverishly put the finishing touches to their entries, I found myself willingly press ganged into the role of food critic as I replaced someone who failed to turn up. Replete after a gourmet 3 course meal, I was walking down the road when my senses were assailed by the most beguiling sounds. The Namib Marimba band had linked up with the Mascato Coastal Youth Choir to produce the lyrical notes that could only come out of Africa. 

Wandering around the various halls, I was amazed at the enormous range of tourist and adventure options available in Namibia. This year there were also exhibits from Indonesia, India and Zimbabwe, and international participation is likely to increase due to the marketing efforts of the Tourism Board. Although thin on the ground in the travel sector, South Africa was well represented commercially by companies promoting their products. This too should be an arena for considerable  expansion as businessmen exploit the fact that a burgeoning market for both travel and consumer products is sitting right on our doorstep.

On the way out I ran into a quartet of minstrels who appeared to have strayed from Cape Town’s Coon Carnival. As they musically predicted the coming of the Alabama with great gusto, I realised the Trade Expo is also a giant celebration of life in Namibia.

© ROY WATTS

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