Encountering the Other: The Ovahimba Culture and People in Namibian Tourism Promotion

Abstract

Tourism and tourism images are an integral part of our daily lives. Images in tourism promotion also participate in cultural production that can create discourses of people and places and affect the way we perceive the world around us. This article discusses the ethnic representations produced in tourism promotion and reviews the features of the tourism images and historical aspects of the representations of Africa and its people. The article analyzes the representations of the Ovahimba, ethnic group living in Namibia. The focus is on the depictions of the Ovahimba culture, its members and their encounters with tourists in Namibian tourism promotion. Also, the various roles an ethnic group can have in place promotion is discussed.