Namibia’s premier destination town, Swakopmund, has announced plans to upgrade the local aerodrome at a cost of R443 million as part of plans to position the aerodrome as a recognised point of entry for tourism and other aviation-related activities.
The proposed additions include a terminal building, fire brigade and air control and the extension of the runway. The project feasibility study was conducted in 2023. The purpose of the study was to develop a framework that would guide the council in enhancing the operations and overall functionality of the Swakopmund Aerodrome.
Furthermore, the Swakopmund Municipality said in council minutes that this initiative aligns with one of the council’s key strategic pillars: tourism and investment, which plays a critical role in driving job creation and delivering broader socio-economic benefits to the town.
The council said the primary aim is to ensure that the Swakopmund Aerodrome remains compliant with regulatory requirements, allowing it to continue serving the tourism and recreational aviation sectors.
The council said the planned upgrades will focus solely on enhancing the operations and functionality of the aerodrome, while ensuring ongoing compliance with regulatory requirements and as a result of these improvements, a gradual increase in traffic can be expected over time.
Currently, the Swakopmund Aerodrome caters mainly to small private aircraft, tourist charters, recreational flights and pilot training activities.
Namibia as a whole experienced a notable increase in international tourist arrivals in 2024 compared to 2023. The tourism sector experienced a strong recovery in 2024, marking an 18.4% increase from 2023, according to statistics from the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism.
The council said it has resolved to invite expressions of interest for the development of a new airport towards the northern part of Swakopmund, rather than committing significant capital investment into the existing aerodrome.
However, the current aerodrome will continue to be maintained and improved to ensure it remains operational and compliant until the new facility is completed and fully functional.
Swakopmund is Namibia’s premier destination for both local and international tourists. According to the Hospitality Association of Namibia (HAN) annual statistics for 2024, of the 130,241 rooms available at the coast in 2024, 81,556 were sold, an occupancy rate of 62.62%. Leisure visitors accounted for 127,840 of the visitors, 12,971 went for business, and 1,189 went to attend conferences.
HAN said the visitors were from Namibia, South Africa, Angola, France, Italy, UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand and the Baltic, Scandinavia, Spain, Portugal, USA, Canada, South America and China.
