By Tony Onwuchekwa
At Global Links and Services Ltd, a leading IATA-licensed travel agency with over 20 years of transforming travel dreams into seamless realities across Nigeria and beyond, we’re passionate about connecting Africa’s vibrant destinations and unlocking their potential for travellers and investors. That’s why we were thrilled to participate as a key visiting agent in the recent Namibia Tourism Board (NTB) and South African Airways (SAA) B2B Stakeholders Meeting in Windhoek. This collaborative gathering brought together African tour operators, hoteliers, and agents, Global Links, to explore partnerships, experiential travel, and investment in Namibia, putting African nations front and centre in the push for intra-Africa tourism.
Drawing from a successful webinar and familiarisation (fam) trip, the event invited 15 African agents, including our own Group Director of Communications, Tony Onwuchekwa, to experience Namibia firsthand. Our goal? To turn these insights into curated, budget-friendly packages that make the destination irresistible for intra-African travellers, building on our expertise in flights, tours, hotels, transfers, study abroad, and faith-based pilgrimages.
Why This Matters for Global Links
As a Nigeria-based leader in travel promotion, representing major carriers and promoting destinations like The Gambia’s smiling coast and Kenya’s safaris, Global Links sees immense value in events like this. South Africa remains Namibia’s top source market, followed by Germany, and SAA’s mandate to grow arrivals aligns with our mission to create unforgettable moments through handpicked experiences.
Wilhelmine Veripi Kandjou of SAA opened by stressing partnerships: “Today is about collaboration, partnership, and support.” We echo that, thanking allies like NTB, O&L, Gondwana, and the Hospitality Association of Namibia, and committing to integrating Namibia into our offerings going forward.
Key Insights from the Meeting
– Shifting to Immersive Travel: NTB’s Charmaine Matheus noted travellers’ growing demand for cultural engagement, per airport surveys. At Global Links, we’re crafting bleisure packages that blend business with leisure, incorporating gastronomy and community stories, and we’ll highlight Namibia’s heritage in our “Ije: The World of Travel” blog to inspire future trips.
– Overcoming Hurdles: The Q&A tackled real challenges. NIPBD’s Ndapewa Hangula explained MICE visas via the Namibia Convention Bureau (NCB), while SAA detailed its hub connecting 17 destinations like Accra and Gaborone. Hospitality Association CEO Gita Paitolda urged voicing concerns on visas and routes, advice Global Links is actioning through our public relations efforts to influence policy and ease travel.
– Namibia’s Investment Appeal: Ndapewa Hangula highlighted Namibia’s top rankings in safety and literacy (92%), plus the Digital Nomad Visa for remote work. For our clients, this means opportunities in sports tourism (e.g., Desert Dash), film production, and hospitality, backed by NIPDB’s end-to-end support. Going forward, Global Links will facilitate investments and cross-border collaborations to drive growth.
A Call to Collaborate with Global Links
This meeting signals a pivotal shift: Africa promoting Africa. At Global Links, under the award-winning leadership of CEO Rev. Mrs Chinyere Umeasiegbu (Africa Travel 100 Women 2025), we’re fostering cross-border packages to deliver immersive travel experiences. If you’re in MICE or bleisure, partner with us for fam trips, authentic Namibia experiences, or our supported services. Contact us at info@globallinkstravels.com to get started. Let’s make Africa shine together.