The Eswatini hospitality and tourism sector returns to the table this September for the second edition of the Eswatini Tourism Nkwe, a national industry summit taking place on 17 September in Mbabane.
The Nkwe Indaba takes its name from His Majesty King Mswati III’s call to “act with urgency” on tourism growth, part of a National Development Plan target of more than one million tourists a year, rising to two million by 2027. The inaugural edition, held in Ezulwini in August 2025, saw government officials outline progress on a new electronic visa system aimed at easing entry for travellers and cutting red tape for operators.
Driven by the Hospitality and Tourism Association of Eswatini (HOTAES) in partnership with the Eswatini Tourism Authority and government, this year’s summit has one clear deliverable in mind: a concise, single-page set of provisions to be presented directly to Cabinet for approval. Discussions on the day will cover the current state of the tourism landscape, including visitor demographics and the tourism satellite account, alongside pressing challenges such as visa regulations, sustainability practices and bilateral tourism opportunities with neighbouring countries. Later sessions will turn to growth strategies — infrastructure, marketing, talent development — and to attracting investment and forging partnerships with regional and international tourism bodies.
Expected attendees include the Prime Minister, the Minister of Tourism and Environmental Affairs, alongside other Ministers, HOTAES members, investors from the banking and pension fund sector, academics, and local media, all gathering under one roof for a single day of focused, outcome-driven dialogue.
The main conference day will be complemented by a golf day, giving delegates room to build relationships beyond the formal programme.
Organisers are in the final stages of preparation, confirming sponsors and issuing formal invitations to ministers, ambassadors and other high-protocol guests. With visitor arrivals to Eswatini climbing through the first half of 2026, driven in part by growing interest from regional markets, the second Tourism Nkwe carries real expectation: to move the industry from setting an agenda to seeing it implemented, and to show that collaboration between government and the private sector can translate into real economic gains.