Political economy of the Namibian tourism sector: addressing post-apartheid inequality through increasing indigenous ownership

Abstract

Tourism is regarded as one of Namibia's key economic sectors that can diversify the economy and create employment, but due to the apartheid legacy the sector is highly dominated by the white minority. Current efforts to increase the share of indigenous ownership include Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) and Community-Based Tourism (CBT). This article analyses the challenges involved in promoting BEE and CBT through research material gathered in 16 Namibian tourism enterprises. The challenges are related to the prevailing inequality and racial prejudices in Namibia, and to the nature of tourism as an economic sector that requires special skills and experience.