BY MBONGENI NDLELA
MBABANE – Eswatini’s tourism sector reached a historic milestone in 2025 after recording 1047054 international visitor arrivals, up from 964880 visitors in 2024.
This represents a 7.5 percent year-on-year increase, confirming 2025 as the strongest tourism year on record and a clear signal of the sector’s resilience, recovery and growing regional competitiveness.
The sustained growth reflects the country’s successful positioning as a culturally rich, safe and welcoming destination, supported by consistent destination marketing and an active national events calendar.
Neighbouring Countries Anchor Visitor Growth
Regional markets continued to drive Eswatini’s tourism performance. South Africa remained the leading source market with 629203 visitors, reflecting a 3.8 percent increase compared to the previous year. Mozambique followed with 192221 visitors, posting an impressive 27.8 percent surge over the same period.
The strong performance from neighbouring countries highlights Eswatini’s strategic geographic location and ease of access, particularly for short-haul and repeat travel.
SADC Market Dominance Strengthens
The Southern African Development Community accounted for more than 88 percent of all international arrivals in 2025, reinforcing the region’s importance as the backbone of Eswatini’s tourism economy.
Event-Driven Tourism Fuels Peak Months
Visitor arrivals increased in ten out of twelve months during the year. Although November recorded a 10.0 percent decline and December a 6.6 percent decline compared to 2024, overall annual performance remained firmly positive.
The highest visitor volumes were recorded in June August September and December, largely driven by major cultural lifestyle and entertainment events.
Africa Records Strong Growth Across Markets
Arrivals from Africa increased by 9.2 percent in 2025, driven mainly by South Africa and Mozambique. Malawi recorded a 190.9 percent increase largely linked to business travel, while Zambia Kenya and Zimbabwe also posted positive growth.
Asia and Pacific Markets Gain Momentum
Visitor arrivals from Asia Australia and the Pacific increased by 7.6 percent, supported by improved air connectivity and competitive airfares. Strong performances were recorded from the Philippines Pakistan Taiwan China and Australia.
Mixed Performance from Long-Haul Markets
The Americas recorded a modest decline of 4.2 percent, influenced mainly by reduced travel from the United States. Europe experienced a 9.9 percent decline with total arrivals falling to 64748 visitors.
Positive Outlook for Tourism Sector
Despite challenges in some long-haul markets Eswatini’s achievement of more than one million international visitors in 2025 underscores the strength of regional tourism cultural heritage and signature national events.
