The Kingdom of Eswatini, formerly Swaziland, is recording promising increases in tourism numbers, with more than 83 000 people visiting the small southern African nation in June.
According to the Eswatini Tourism Authority (ETA), arrivals surged by 36.5% in comparison to June last year. The vast majority of visitors (92%) came from the African region, led by South Africa with 57 794 arrivals, Mozambique with 12 539, and Zimbabwe with 4 130.
The top overseas source market was the US with 1 255 arrivals, a 3.5% increase from June last year. France saw a 76.2% increase to 790, followed by India with 496, up 3.5%.
Arrivals were boosted by the popular MTN Bushfire Festival, which took place from May 31 to June 2.
According to the ETA, average length of stay also showed “a notable improvement” to an average of 2.95 nights.
“This new data suggests that the diverse range of inbound visits to the destination is boding well towards a swift recovery of the sector, and as global travellers continue to regain confidence the anticipation is of a full resumption in desire and commitment to travel,” ETA stated.
ETA has upped the country's destination marketing efforts through attendance of major southern Africa trade shows and intensified promotion of events such as the annual Umhlanga Reed Dance, taking place at the end of August and beginning of September.
The reed dance is one of Africa's biggest cultural events, seeing up to 40 000 unmarried girls and women travelling to the Ludzidzini Royal Village to present cut reeds and perform for the King as a ceremonial rite of passage.
