Africa-Press – Eswatini. August was another win for Eswatini’s tourism industry, with visitor arrivals climbing to 92,615, a 7.6% jump compared to the same month last year.
The rise was powered mainly by demand from Mozambique and South Africa, showing once again that the kingdom’s neighbours remain its heartbeat markets.
According to the Eswatini Tourism Authority (ETA), Mozambique recorded a staggering 33.8% growth, while South Africa, despite its economic headwinds, still contributed the lion’s share with 52,915 arrivals, a 4.8% increase. Zimbabwe also added strength with a 15% rise.
On the flip side, Europe told a different story. Markets like the Netherlands (-29.2%), France (-23.4%), and Germany (-23.9%) posted sharp declines, painting a picture of shifting travel preferences as more visitors opt for short-haul destinations.
But there’s no gloom here. Asia & the Pacific stepped up with a 16.3% boost, driven by Taiwan (+97.6%), China (+24.7%), and Pakistan (+28.5%), proving that long-haul interest is not fading, it’s just moving east.
The numbers come hot on the heels of Eswatini’s Umhlanga Reed Dance, which earlier this month pulled tens of thousands of visitors into the country.
Together with other August highlights like the Luju Festival, Swazi Bikers Rally, and the Khabane Walk, the cultural and lifestyle calendar gave the tourism sector an extra bounce.
ETA’s Head of Marketing, Chunky Mdluli-Dlamini, said the figures showed that Eswatini’s tourism strategy was paying off.
“When Mozambique grows by over 30% in a single month, it tells us the regional market is responding positively to what we’re offering,” she said.
“We’ve always believed that culture, lifestyle events, and convenience are our strongest selling points, and the numbers are proving that.”
She also acknowledged the mixed fortunes in Europe but said ETA was not discouraged.
“Yes, Europe is slowing down, but Eswatini is diversifying. The Asia-Pacific growth shows that people across the world are curious about our story. The challenge for us is to keep telling that story in a way that inspires travel,” she said.
From January to August 2025, Eswatini has already welcomed over 700,981 international visitors, marking a 14% year-on-year rise. With momentum building, the country is now on track to hit the historic one-million-visitor milestone by the end of the year.
Mdluli-Dlamini added a note of confidence:
“We’re not just chasing numbers. We’re building an identity. By year-end, when we cross the million mark, it won’t just be a statistic, it will be a statement that Eswatini has arrived on the global tourism map.”
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