The Hilton Garden Inn in Mbabane served as the focal point for the Kingdom’s tourism sector as key stakeholders, policymakers and industry leaders gathered for the 2nd Edition of the Eswatini Tourism Nkwe Indaba.
Convened under the spirit of Nkwe—a call for urgent, purposeful action, the Indaba provided a strategic platform for His Majesty’s Government, the Hospitality and Tourism Association of Eswatini (HOTAES) and the Eswatini Tourism Authority (ETA) to evaluate the sector’s performance, align policy frameworks and outline a vision for sustainable growth. Acting on behalf of the Minister of Tourism and Environmental Affairs was Honourable Apollo Maphalala, who is the Minister of Housing and Urban Development. Opening the deliberations, the Minister for Tourism and Environmental Affairs emphasised that while international arrivals continue to recover strongly following global disruptions, the primary focus of the Kingdom’s strategy must shift toward the net economic value generated by every visitor.
The journey behind “Nkwe”
The Nkwe Indaba takes its name from His Majesty King Mswati III’s directive to “act with urgency”; a call embedded in the National Development Plan that set an ambitious target for the sector: more than one million tourists a year, rising to two million by 2027 and an accompanying E2 billion injection into the local economy. The inaugural Tourism Nkwe, held in Ezulwini in August last year, was the tourism industry’s direct response to that call. It was there that government officials first outlined progress on a long-awaited electronic visa system designed to replace passport stamps and stickers with a digital record, easing entry for travellers and cutting red tape for operators. A year on, with international arrivals up strongly in the opening months of 2026 compared with the same period last year, organisers say the momentum built at that first gathering needs to be consolidated and pushed further, not allowed to fade into another well-meaning talk shop.
The outcome envisioned for the day was a single, concise document, no more than a page, setting out clear provisions for cabinet approval, covering the practical steps needed to unlock growth across the industry. It is a deliberately narrow target for a sector that touches dozens of interlinked issues, from visa policy to infrastructure to marketing, precisely because organisers believe broad wish-lists rarely survive contact with government decision-making. A tight, actionable set of provisions, they argue, stands a far better chance of being implemented than a lengthy communique destined for a shelf.
Strong Arrival Recovery Lays the Foundation for Growth
Eswatini’s tourism industry has demonstrated remarkable resilience, surpassing key recovery milestones over the past two years. Addresses delivered by both the Honourable Minister and ETA Chief Executive Officer Vusie N. Dlamini highlighted positive statistical trends that reflect robust regional demand and a vibrant calendar of cultural events. Despite global headwinds, including rising fuel prices and increased international travel costs affecting European long-haul markets, Eswatini’s performance has been anchored by its flagship cultural gatherings, including the Incwala, the Buganu Festival and the MTN Bushfire Festival.
Aligning Strategic Priorities with National Objectives
A central theme of the Indaba was the operational alignment between the tourism sector and His Majesty’s Government’s Programme of Action (POA) 2024/25–2028/29 and the National Development Plan. To operationalise these national goals, the ETA Board of Directors unveiled a revised Strategic Plan for 2026–2030.
Presented by ETA CEO Vusie Dlamini, the strategy shifts the Authority from an activity-driven approach toward a results-oriented model that prioritises institutional capacity, implementation discipline and return on investment.
The strategy focuses on expanding accommodation capacity, developing new attractions and capitalising on major national infrastructure projects, most notably the operationalisation of the International Conference Centre (ICC) in 2026, which positions Eswatini as a premier destination for business events and MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions) tourism.
Measuring Value: The Tourism Satellite Account (TSA) Framework
To shift the benchmark of success from headcounts to true financial and social impact, Eswatini is implementing the UN-endorsed Tourism Satellite Account (TSA) statistical framework. Led by the ETA in collaboration with the Central Statistical Office (CSO), the Central Bank of Eswatini, the Ministry of Labour & Social Security and the Department of Immigration, the initiative establishes an accurate metric for tourism’s direct contribution to Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
Balancing Economic Growth with Environmental Stewardship
In his closing remarks, the Minister reiterated that long-term commercial success must not come at the expense of Eswatini’s natural heritage. Protected areas, wildlife reserves, pristine landscapes and living cultural traditions form the core foundation of the country’s tourism value proposition. Protecting these assets remains both an environmental mandate and an economic imperative.
The road ahead
The 2nd Eswatini Tourism Nkwe Indaba successfully reaffirmed the Kingdom’s commitment to driving economic growth through data-led strategies and public-private partnerships. By advancing the Tourism Satellite Account framework and aligning with national development goals, Eswatini is positioned to transform rising visitor arrivals into lasting economic value, increased local investment and sustainable tourism development.