BY SIFISO NHLABATSI
MLAWULA – The 7th Mlawula Campfire Festival is contributing to His Majesty King Mswati III’s call for tourism to drive economic growth in Eswatini, Minister of Tourism and Environmental Affairs Jane Mkhonta-Simelane has said.
The Minister made the remarks on Saturday while touring the festival stalls and interacting with exhibitors and festival-goers at Siphiso Campsite in Mlawula Nature Reserve.
She said the growing numbers attending the festival each year were a positive indication that the event had the potential to develop into an attraction on the scale of the internationally recognised MTN Bushfire Festival.
“The numbers are growing every year and very soon this festival will be at the level of Bushfire,” said the Minister.
Her remarks echoed His Majesty’s call for tourism to become a stronger driver of economic growth. In one of his speeches recently His Majesty King Mswati III said: “Tourism must drive economic growth in Eswatini,” while setting a target of attracting more than one million tourists annually and at least two million by 2027. He said this could generate more than E2 billion in revenue for the local economy.
The Minister said the Mlawula Campfire Festival was moving in the direction of that vision by bringing people together through outdoor recreation, entertainment, nature and local business opportunities.
She also referenced Prime Minister Russell Mmiso Dlamini’s call for tourism to make a greater contribution to the national economy and said events such as the Mlawula festival could help expand the sector’s economic footprint.
During her tour, Mkhonta-Simelane visited various stalls, spoke to exhibitors and offered advice to some of those operating businesses at the festival. She also interacted with festival-goers who had gathered for the second day of the three-day event.
The Minister encouraged Emaswati to support local tourism initiatives and participate in events taking place within the country, while thanking the festival’s sponsors and other stakeholders for their contribution.
She said camping also had benefits beyond recreation, describing it as an activity that could be good for the body, mind and spirit.
Mkhonta-Simelane further encouraged people to embrace traditional ways of preparing food, saying returning to more natural methods of cooking instead of relying heavily on microwaves was healthier for the body.
The 7th Mlawula Campfire Festival, being held from September 25 to 27 at Siphiso Campsite, has brought together families, friends, adventure seekers and music lovers for a weekend of outdoor activities and entertainment.
The festival programme includes wellness and team-building activities, the Bakkie Life Experience, karaoke, target shooting, hiking, music, food and camping.
The event has also attracted visitors from outside Eswatini, with camping gear reportedly selling out as festival-goers arrived at the nature reserve.
The festival’s growing profile comes as Eswatini continues to position tourism as an important part of its economic development strategy. Official tourism figures show that international arrivals increased in May 2026, with 88 380 visitors recorded from the African region alone, up 7.3 per cent from 82 354 in May 2025.
For the Mlawula Campfire Festival, the Minister said its continued growth could provide another platform through which Eswatini can turn its natural environment, outdoor experiences and local enterprise into economic opportunities.
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