BY LINDELWA MYENI
MBABANE – Eswatini’s August tourism numbers received a strong lift from Umhlanga and a packed calendar of major events, with international visitor arrivals climbing to 108 158 during the month.
The figure represents a 16.8% increase from the 92 615 visitors recorded in August 2025, meaning the country welcomed 15 543 more international visitors than during the same period last year.
At the centre of the busy month was the Umhlanga Reed Dance, one of Eswatini’s biggest cultural events, which drew thousands of people into the country and helped fill hotels and other accommodation establishments.
The month also featured the Standard Bank Luju Food & Lifestyle Festival, Eswatini International Trade Fair and Swazi Bikers Rally, giving visitors several reasons to travel to the Kingdom.
Umhlanga alone attracted 39 873 visitors, up 15.6% compared with the corresponding period in 2025.
Of that number, 20 347 were international tourists while 19 525 were Emaswati living outside the country.
South Africa remained the biggest source of visitors during Umhlanga, accounting for 13 241 arrivals, followed by Mozambique with 3 309.
Ngwenya Border Post handled the largest share of traffic, recording 16 264 entries during the period.
HOTELS FEEL THE UMHLANGA EFFECT
The surge in visitors was also visible in the hospitality industry.
Overall accommodation occupancy during Umhlanga reached 78.9%, with hotels performing particularly strongly at 82.1%.
Game and nature reserves recorded occupancy of 64.5%, while guest houses stood at 56%.
Ezulwini, which hosts much of the accommodation used by visitors attending national events in the surrounding areas, recorded the highest subregional occupancy at 82.2%.
Mbabane followed at 78.2%, while accommodation establishments in the rest of the country averaged 77.5%. Manzini recorded 72.5%.
The figures underline the wider economic reach of major cultural gatherings, with visitors requiring accommodation and other tourism services during their stay.
OVERSEAS INTEREST GROWS
Umhlanga also attracted growing attention from markets farther afield.
During the festival period, arrivals from Italy increased by 200%, Australia by 129.3%, South Korea by 73.3% and Pakistan by 23%.
For August as a whole, however, Eswatini’s closest neighbours continued to provide the bulk of visitors.
African markets accounted for about 87.5% of all international arrivals during the month, with the number of African visitors rising from 80 858 in August 2025 to 94 656 this year – an increase of 17.1%.
South Africa contributed 58 894 visitors, up 11.3%, while arrivals from Mozambique jumped 24% to 21 906.
Other African markets also performed well. Visitor numbers from Lesotho rose 31.4%, Botswana 36%, Zambia 36.6% and Tanzania 6.6%.
EUROPEAN ARRIVALS UP 19.9%
Europe was another bright spot during August.
Arrivals from the continent increased by 19.9%, from 7 954 visitors in August 2025 to 9 533 this year.
Italy recorded 50% growth, while France rose 22.1%, Germany 23.5%, Belgium 36.5% and the Netherlands 12.1%.
Growth was also recorded in other international markets. Arrivals from the Americas increased by 10%, while the Middle East was up 24.1%.
Asia and the Pacific recorded a smaller increase of 1.2%.
697 594 AFRICAN VISITORS IN EIGHT MONTHS
The August performance adds to the gains recorded by the tourism sector during the first eight months of 2026.
African arrivals between January and August increased by 10.9% to 697 594.
South Africa alone contributed 428 976 visitors during the eight-month period, while Mozambique accounted for another 163 038.
The August numbers show how Eswatini’s cultural calendar, particularly internationally recognised events such as Umhlanga, continues to bring visitors across the borders while creating business for hotels, guest houses and other players in the tourism industry.
