Crime targets tourists

“By targeting tourists we chase them away. We are stealing from our own brothers and sisters employed in tourism”

Swakopmund mayor condemns recent attacks

The mayor of Swakopmund Clr. Paullina Nashilundo condemns in the strongest terms criminal acts in recent weeks in the holiday town where tourists were the targets. The mayor referred specifically to two incidents in which tourists were stabbed during robberies.
“I am disheartened when I read or get informed about tourists in our country, and especially in Swakopmund, who are robbed, stabbed, assaulted and mistreated by our own people. It is for this reason and for the sake of our development that I appeal to the culprits to stop these acts of violence against our tourists”, Clr. Nashilundo said at the most recent Ordinary Council Meeting.
Clr. Nashilundo added perhaps these culprits may not know that every dollar, pound, or any foreign currency for that matter, spent by the tourist contributes towards the upliftment of not only the town or country but also to individuals working at hotels, travel agencies, retailers, fuel stations. These people’s salaries are in fact paid by the money spent by our tourists.
“It is against this background that I say today let us create the right conditions for both inward and outward tourism, to thrive by always making our tourists to feel welcome, safe and at home”, urged Nashilundo  The mayor is further quoted: “Tourism is one of the important sectors that have a good impact on the development of our country’s economy. The main benefits of tourism are that it creates employment for both skilled and unskilled members of our community; our infrastructures are also improved and it gives us an opportunity to preserve our different cultures which are a source of our pride as we showcase them to our visitors. Therefore, tourism is indeed an important source of well-being.
Swakopmund is one of Namibia’s holiday destination and we host many local and international tourists on a daily basis”.