Climate Change and Tourism in Namibia: Mapping Emerging Risks and Impacts

The aim of the study was to examine the influence of climate change risks that lead to a polycrisis in the tourism sector, creating a substantial and persuasive challenge to the tourism sector in Namibia. The research study employed a qualitative approach, allowing for an integrated analysis by the researcher. Interviews were conducted with the Ministry of Environment, Forestry, and Tourism (MEFT) to comprehend the impacts of climate change on tourism and the resilience approaches and adaptation strategies for the future of tourism in Namibia. Research materials are based on 15 purposively sampled officials from MEFT and 5 selected managers from Gondwana Collection Namibia, through a snowball sampling technique. The study findings reveal that both MEFT and business operators suggest that droughts and floods are not isolated or temporary threats but rather systemic and escalating processes affecting natural systems, conservation efforts, and communities and their livelihoods. This study contributes to the body of literature by critically examining the current problems with the polycrisis of climate change in sustainable tourism.