Namibia Emerging – Top Ranked Tourism Destination
Award-winning Tourism Accommodation Developments in Namibia
1] BOTIQUE HOTEL AWARDS 2020
Boutique & Lifestyle Leaders Association (BLLA) is the voice of the world’s independent boutique and lifestyle hotels, small brands and boutique businesses.
BLLA announced the winners for the 2020 StayBoutique Awards:
Boutique Hotel Design Project of the Year: Zannier Hotels Sonop, Namibia
Many congratulations to Arnaud Zannier, who was introduced to Namibia by Angelina Jolie, a admirer of Namibia, and also the birthplace of her daughter Shiloh.
The 2020 BLLA summit gathered boutique professionals from across the globe for commerce, culture and art, concluding with the announcement of the winners of BLLA’s 10th annual StayBoutique Awards.
The objectives of the StayBoutique Awards are to recognize the leaders of independent hotels globally, the properties themselves, and includes categories such as technology, design, recognizing the most daring efforts in the boutique community with projects that extend the limits of the sector.
All winners provide moments that define a cultural experience and a desire for discovery.
The topics covered during the BLLA summit included all things boutique from true hospitality, and fostering loyalty to financing a boutique hotel, and valuation perspectives.
Founder and CEO of BLLA Ariela Kiradjian: “selecting the best-of-the-best in boutique hospitality brands, investors, owners and founders…. The winners of the 2020 StayBoutique Awards are reinvigorating their respective spaces with novel approaches to marketing, innovative collaborations and by embracing change during an exceedingly difficult time…”
2] NAMIBIA EMERGING – TOP RANKED TOURISM DESTINATION
Another award for a hotel in Namibia is demonstrating the emergence, the progress made to improve the design-focused luxury accommodation portfolio, and to become a top ranked tourism destination.
Following are examples of recent publications:
TRAVEL & LEISURE – Best New Hotels in the World 2020, Africa List: Sonop Lodge, Namibia [Zannier Hotels].
TOWN & COUNTRY – The Best New Hotels in the World 2020; (1) Shipwreck Lodge, Skeleton Coast, Namibia [Natural Selection], (2) Sossusvlei Desert Lodge, Namibia [andBeyond Travel].
TRAVEL & STYLE – The Top 100 Luxury Hotel Openings of 2020; (#45) Habitas Namibia, Namibia [Habitas], (#54) Little Kulala, Namibia [Wilderness Safaris], (#85) Kwessi Dunes Namibia [Natural Selection].
CNN TRAVEL – 20 Great New Hotels To Visit in 2020; Sossusvlei Desert Lodge, Namibia [andBeyond Travel].
CONDÉ NAST TRAVELER – The Best Eco Hotels In The World 2020; Serra Cafema, Namibia [Wilderness Safaris].
THE INDEPENDENT – Hottest New Hotels for March 2020; Kwessi Dunes, Namibia [Natural Selection].
WANDERLUST – The 2020 Travel Hot List; Namibia a Shining Light of Community Conservation.
TRAVEL PULSE – Where to Go in 2020 According to A&K; Namibia “The Up-and-Comers”.
CONDÉ NAST TRAVELER – The Hotel Openings To Know About In 2020; (i) Habitas Namibia Lodge [Habitas], (ii) Kwessi Dunes Lodge, Namibia [Natural Selection].
TRAVEL AGENT CENTRAL (2019) – Spectacular New Lodges in Namibia starting to attract international attention as a unique travel experience. Examples: (1) Shipwreck Lodge, Skeleton Coast [Natural Selection], (2) Hoanib Valley Camp [Natural Selection], (3) Sossus Under Canvas [Ultimate Safaris], (4) Omaanda Lodge & Sonop Lodge [Zannier Hotels], (5) The Nest at Sossus Guesthouse [Swen Bachran], (6) Sossusvlei Desert Lodge [andBeyond Travel].
TRAVEL & LEISURE – Best New Hotels in the World 2019, Africa List: 2 in Namibia (1) Hoanib Valley Camp, Kaokoland [Natural Selection], (2) Omaanda Lodge, Windhoek [Zannier Hotels].
ELITE TRAVELER – The Most Anticipated Luxury Hotel Openings of 2019; Sonop Lodge, Namibia [Zannier Hotels].
THE WALL STREET JOURNAL – The 10 Most Intriguing Travel Destinations for 2019; Shipwreck Lodge Skeleton Coast National Park, Namibia [Natural Selection].
CONDÉ NAST TRAVELER – The 19 Best Places to Go in 2019; “Namibia has always enthralled us”.
CONDÉ NAST TRAVELER – The Gold List 2019; Namibia as one of the All-time Favourite Destinations – The World’s Most Extraordinary Experiences.
CONDÉ NAST TRAVELER – The Best Eco Hotels In The World 2019; Serra Cafema, Kaokoland, Namibia [Wilderness Safaris].
TRAVEL & LEISURE (2019) – This Luxury Camp in Namibia Is Surrounded by One of the Most Stunning Desert Landscapes on Earth; Sonop Lodge [Zannier Hotels].
CONDÉ NAST TRAVELER – The 50 Most Beautiful Places in the World 2019; Namib Desert.
WANDERLUST Readers’ Travel Awards: Selected Namibia as the Top Travel Destination for 2019.
TOURISM UPDATE (2019) – Namibia Emerges as Fastest-growing Safari Destination.
3] GLAMPING TREND
FORBES LIFE: Glamping Is 2020’s Hottest Travel Trend
What is GLAMPING? A combination of “Glamorous” and “Camping”.
Top tier safari lodges in Africa used the glamping (tented safari camp) model for many years to accommodate tourist in exotic locations.
Large luxury “tents” (canvas structures), that outshines Presidential Suites in many hotels, on permanent platforms including modern comforts, running water & bathrooms similar to 5-Star hotels.
Many tented camp safari lodges are off-grid, eco-friendly, self-sustainable, low-impact developments.
Nonetheless, the most attractive aspects of glamping are the great outdoor locations, most sought-after, most beautiful natural destinations, the unique experience combined with the sense of adventure.
4] EXPEDITION-STYLE GRANDEUR
What is Adventure Boutique? A boutique hotel or resort that is located in unique destinations with breath-taking landscapes, and that offers a myriad of outdoor activities. [BLLA]
Every object and antique item in the ten spacious luxury tents at the Sonop lodge was carefully selected to ensure that every moment turns into a unique experience.
The detailed design focused on the richness of the Namib desert and awe-inspiring views.
Zannier Hotels Sonop lodge was constructed on top of granite boulders in a remote and unspoilt setting of 13,800 acres (5,600 hectares) of untouched wilderness that includes daily sightings of desert animals, such as Oryx, Brown Hyenas, Rabbits, Bat-eared Foxes, Meerkats, Jackals and Leopards.
5] CONSUMER EXPECTATIONS & WELLBEING
In tandem with the BLLA summit, the research firm Metric Centric published a consumer confidence report for the boutique hospitality sector.
Aside from some confusion on what constitutes a boutique hotel, the travellers favourably discussed boutique hotels.
The results reflected findings by McKinsey & Company that travellers are seeking (a) safety, (b) recreation & leisure, and (c) guest experience in their future travels.
Survey participants further expressed a focus on cleanliness, and a desire for community-oriented authenticity.
The Zannier Hotels Sonop (Sunrise in Afrikaans), Namibia aim is to enhance the life and well-being of their guests. Carefully designed spa rooms to provide complete serenity & ultimate comfort includes two double treatment rooms, a wide variety of treatments with experienced therapists using the finest natural, and organic ingredients.
Wellness activities such as yoga & meditation, a fully-equipped fitness room with free weights, benches, a variety of cardio equipment, refreshing herbal beverages, and fruits, as well as cold, scented towels are available.
IATA, WTTC (World Travel & Tourism Council) and UNWTO (U.N. World Tourism Organization) all identified that the consumer uncertainty and safety concerns are some of the big barriers for the recovery of international travel and tourism.
Namibia obtained and implemented the WTTC Global SafeTravels Stamp that recognise the Safe Travels Protocols.
These SafeTravels initiative also received the UNWTO endorsement, and the safety protocols follow guidelines from the WHO (World Health Organisation), the CDC (Centre for Disease Control and Prevention), and also best practices from WTTC’s members.
Various countries officially recognised Namibia as Low Risk area and Safe to Visit.
The current 14-day average incidence rate has been, and still is less than 2.0 per 100,000.
After the November 2020 visit, the UNWTO Secretary General Zurab Pololikashvili endorsed Namibia, noting the following:
“was surprised by the high quality of the accommodation establishments” &
“Namibia is ready for international tourist arrivals, the country is safe in terms of tourists’ personal safety & Covid-19 prevention”
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