BY PHESHEYA IAN KUNENE
MBABANE – The Kingdom of Eswatini has registered an impressive 11.9% rise in international visitor arrivals in March 2025, signaling renewed confidence in the country’s tourism appeal and ongoing recovery efforts from the COVID-19 downturn.
According to the latest statistics released by the Eswatini Tourism Authority (ETA), a total of 85,451 international visitors crossed into the kingdom during the month, representing the strongest monthly growth since the beginning of the year.
This performance capped off the first quarter on a high note, even as officials acknowledged that overall numbers still trail behind pre-pandemic levels by 8.5%.
ETA’s Head of Marketing, Chunky Mdluli-Dlamini, described the March figures as a “milestone moment” and a reflection of the sector’s strategic revival efforts.
She pointed out that while January and March figures remained below 2019 levels, February nearly matched pre-COVID numbers, showing that “Eswatini is well within reach of a full tourism recovery if current trends are sustained.”
A breakdown of the statistics reveals that regional travel, particularly from Mozambique and South Africa, played a pivotal role in boosting arrival figures. Visitors from Mozambique surged by 19.6%, while South Africa saw a 9.2% increase in arrivals, aided by falling fuel prices and a stable rand, which made travel more affordable.
Mdluli-Dlamini noted that the “Triland initiative”—a joint tourism marketing campaign between Eswatini, South Africa, and Mozambique—has been instrumental in strengthening regional tourism traffic. She praised the collaborative approach, saying it had created “seamless travel experiences and cross-border opportunities that benefit all three nations.”
Beyond the continent, the Americas region posted a notable 28.5% rise in visitors, with standout performances from Brazil (60.2%), Canada (34.7%), and the United States (24.2%). This increase came despite global economic pressures and newly introduced tariffs in the U.S., which were expected to deter outbound travel.
Tourism from Asia and the Pacific also grew by 10%, driven by increased interest from countries like India, China, and South Korea. Experts attributed the growth to rising middle-class spending, digital travel trends, and improved flight connectivity.
However, not all regions fared equally well. The Middle East saw a dramatic 50.6% drop in arrivals, largely due to ongoing geopolitical instability and economic strain in the region. Europe also recorded a slight dip of 1.1%, with countries like Italy and the United Kingdom registering double-digit declines.
Despite the challenges, the average length of stay in Eswatini stood at 2.32 nights, showing steady progress toward ETA’s target of extending visitor stays to three nights or more.
Mdluli-Dlamini maintained that the Authority would continue to refine its strategies, focusing on diversifying source markets and enhancing visitor experiences.
“We are seeing the fruits of our hard work, but we’re not resting,” she said. “This is just the beginning of Eswatini’s tourism comeback story.”
