Namibia’s aviation sector saw a sharp rebound in July 2025, with overall passenger movement rising by 15.4% compared to June, marking a strong recovery from the previous month’s decline of 5.7%.
This improvement, seen in the latest Passenger Movement Composite Index, shows renewed confidence in both tourism and domestic air travel after a temporary slowdown in the middle of the year.
According to the Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA), a total of 103 070 passengers arrived and departed through Namibia’s airports in July 2025, up from 89 292 in June. Year-on-year, passenger traffic increased by 11% from the 92 818 passengers recorded in July 2024. This underscores a steady upward trend in Namibia’s air travel recovery after the pandemic.
The report on Passenger Arrivals and Departures for July stated that Hosea Kutako International Airport remained the leading gateway, handling 83.8% of the total passenger traffic. Walvis Bay Airport followed with 8.7%, while Eros Airport in Windhoek accounted for 4.5%. The other regional airports contributed between 0.02% and 2.2% of total traffic.
The report highlighted that the strongest monthly growth occurred at Walvis Bay Airport, where the Arrivals Index increased by 23.1%, and departures rose by 28.6%. Year-over-year, arrivals at Walvis Bay were up 24.1%, and departures increased by 17%, showing the port city’s growing appeal as a coastal tourism and business destination.
At Hosea, international arrivals increased by 21.7% month-on-month, while departures rose by 7.2%, recovering from the 12.1% drop in June this year. Year-on-year, arrivals and departures at Namibia’s main international gateway grew by 13.2% and 14.4%, respectively.
Eros Airport, which mainly serves domestic routes, also saw a rebound, with arrivals up 13.4% and departures up 25.4% compared to June. However, year-on-year figures showed a decline, with arrivals down 15.4% and departures down 16.9%.
The latest data indicates renewed activity in Namibia’s aviation and tourism sectors, backed by growing visitor confidence and increased connections through major hubs. Analysts believe that continued investment in air routes and regional tourism promotion will be crucial for maintaining this upward trend in the months ahead.
The Hospitality Association of Namibia reported an overall occupancy rate of 67.5% for August this year, which compares favorably with 2024 (67.53%) and slightly exceeds the figures from 2019 (61.18%) before the COVID-19 pandemic. Notably strong growth in arrivals came from Italy, France, and the German-speaking countries of Austria, Germany, and Switzerland.
This improvement, seen in the latest Passenger Movement Composite Index, shows renewed confidence in both tourism and domestic air travel after a temporary slowdown in the middle of the year.
According to the Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA), a total of 103 070 passengers arrived and departed through Namibia’s airports in July 2025, up from 89 292 in June. Year-on-year, passenger traffic increased by 11% from the 92 818 passengers recorded in July 2024. This underscores a steady upward trend in Namibia’s air travel recovery after the pandemic.
The report on Passenger Arrivals and Departures for July stated that Hosea Kutako International Airport remained the leading gateway, handling 83.8% of the total passenger traffic. Walvis Bay Airport followed with 8.7%, while Eros Airport in Windhoek accounted for 4.5%. The other regional airports contributed between 0.02% and 2.2% of total traffic.
The report highlighted that the strongest monthly growth occurred at Walvis Bay Airport, where the Arrivals Index increased by 23.1%, and departures rose by 28.6%. Year-over-year, arrivals at Walvis Bay were up 24.1%, and departures increased by 17%, showing the port city’s growing appeal as a coastal tourism and business destination.
At Hosea, international arrivals increased by 21.7% month-on-month, while departures rose by 7.2%, recovering from the 12.1% drop in June this year. Year-on-year, arrivals and departures at Namibia’s main international gateway grew by 13.2% and 14.4%, respectively.
Eros Airport, which mainly serves domestic routes, also saw a rebound, with arrivals up 13.4% and departures up 25.4% compared to June. However, year-on-year figures showed a decline, with arrivals down 15.4% and departures down 16.9%.
The latest data indicates renewed activity in Namibia’s aviation and tourism sectors, backed by growing visitor confidence and increased connections through major hubs. Analysts believe that continued investment in air routes and regional tourism promotion will be crucial for maintaining this upward trend in the months ahead.
The Hospitality Association of Namibia reported an overall occupancy rate of 67.5% for August this year, which compares favorably with 2024 (67.53%) and slightly exceeds the figures from 2019 (61.18%) before the COVID-19 pandemic. Notably strong growth in arrivals came from Italy, France, and the German-speaking countries of Austria, Germany, and Switzerland.
