Botswana authorities have raised concern over a growing trend in which more Batswana are opting to travel to Namibia for tourism instead of visiting domestic destinations.

This is despite the fact that the neighbouring country is best known for its legendary Okavango Delta and plentiful wildlife.

Namibia continues to position itself as a leading ecotourism destination, with a strong focus on conservation and sustainable development.

Stakeholders in the tourism industry in the ||Kharas Region say the 2008 National Tourism Policy needs to be revised to respond to the current needs.

They said this on the sidelines of a two-day consultative workshop at Keetmanshoop.

Namibia is losing millions of dollars due to the country not ranking among the more competitive global destinations for the Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE) industry.

Local experts are gearing up to build MICE as a new sub-sector in the tourism industry.

The Namibian Travel and Tourism Forum assures that there is no cause for concern following the U.S. government's issuance of a Level 2 travel advisory for Namibia.

The Hospitality Association of Namibia has lauded the government for issuing visas on arrival at the three entry points in the Zambezi Region. 

The association's Chief Executive Officer, Gitta Paetzold, describes the move as the highlight of the year for the tourism industry.