A private sector tourism organisation has defended their appointment of a non-Namibian as the country’s first travel ambassador last week after this caused a storm on social media.
This comes after the Federation of Namibian Tourism Associations (Fenata) awarded multi-platinum award-winning South African artist Lerato Molapo, known as Lira, this position.
BACKLASH
Critics immediately turned to social media, accusing Fenata of favouring a foreigner over Namibians.
Some Twitter comments included the following:
“Since my time on Twitter I have witnessed @UpiUmbiupi display the most amazing patriotism/knowledge and pride of Namibian tourism. She has an appropriate international footprint and she will make an amazing ambassador. WE DON’T WANT LIRA. A Namibian should represent us.”
Another user said: “So y’all really thought it was ok to appoint a foreigner as the tourism ambassador of Namibia? We have so many fitting Namibians.
Why is it difficult to elevate our own people? Appalled to say the least.”
Another user was disgruntled at Namibia’s seeming dependence on “foreigners”.
“My two cents on this whole Lira being travel ambassador, the only issue I find with this is that it just highlights how overly dependent the tourism sector is on ‘foreigners’. Their entire model and structure is centred around foreign support . . . there are so many other local influencers that they could have used,” the user said.
‘MIDDLE FINGER’
Afiirmative Repositioning movement activist Goerge Kambala yesterday told The Namibian: “Just a few weeks ago team Namibia together with the tourism industry launched the buy local Namibia initiative, aimed at reviving local industries. Now we have the same industry that begged the government to open the borders giving Namibians the middle finger.”
He added that the tourism industry caters for foreigners only, saying: “It’s pathetic to all those involved, including the tourism board, to allow such hypocrisy to manifest.”
‘NOT UNIQUE’
Fenata chairperson Netumbo Nashandi yesterday in a press statement justified the move, saying: “Using foreign influencers to tap into targeted source markets is not a unique marketing concept.”
Nashandi said the federation’s Travel Ambassador Initiative (TAI) aims to market Namibia as a destination to the African continent “to increase the demand for and awareness of our beautiful country”.
She said the federation’s innovative strategies include finding alternative means to boost, regenerate and build Namibia’s resilience.
This involves exploring cross-marketing platforms within tourism, conservation, arts and cultural heritage spaces, complementing traditional marketing methods with marketing tools such as online content-driven digital marketing and collaborating with Namibian and international influencers to share their personal Namibian travel experiences on social media platforms.
“Our new normal demands that we initiate innovative strategies that will revive the tourism sector and boost employment,” she said.
Nashandi told The Namibian yesterday that Lira is not being paid for her role as ambassador.
The South African artist last week took to Instagram to announce her appointment.
“I have been announced as the Namibian tourism ambassador to South Africa and the world as part of Fenata’s travel ambassador initiative,” Lira posted.
The musician had to spend the Covid-19 lockdown period in Namibia and shared her experience on social media.
Romeo Muyunda, spokesperson of the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism, yesterday said: “Fenata is a private organisation and they are well within their rights to appoint whomever they see fit to represent them.”
Andreas Andjene, chief trade promotion officer at the Namibia Investment Centre, said from a marketing perspective using Lira to promote Namibia as a travel destination in South Africa and the rest of the world is “a sensible decision”.
” . . . brand managers have strategies to amplify a product and service, and influencing through brand ambassadors is one of those strategies,” he said.
Andjene said anyone can be used as a brand ambassador, “as long as that personality resonates with the brand mantra of the product, service and its audiences”.
“I believe Lira’s brand can do that for Namibian tourism in South Africa in this case,” he said.
Andjene said nationality should not be a factor as long targets are met.
PRIVATE SECTOR
He said Fenata represents the private tourism sector and is therefore entitled to select whoever they want to drive the sector.
He suggested that they appoint local travel bloggers or celebrities as ambassadors to promote tourism locally for the domestic market.
Local travel agent Sister Kashala yesterday shared Andjene’s sentiments.
“I personally can’t get clients from elsewhere unless I partner with agents from those other parts [countries]. That’s really just how the tourism industry works,” she said.
The agent said: “The best way for non-Namibians to know about Namibia is to be sold the idea of Namibia, and no one can do that better than a local from that country. Similarly we need Namibians to promote local tourism, and the best way to do this is through local influencers.”
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