Eswatini Records Ninth Consecutive Month of Visitor Growth
Eswatini welcomed 96,720 international visitors in September 2026, a 6.6% increase on the 90,772 arrivals recorded in the same month in 2025 - marking the ninth consecutive month of year-on-year growth for the destination. While arrivals from South Africa, the country's largest source market, declined by 3.9%, this was offset by strong regional performances from Mozambique (+26.9%) and Botswana (+71.1%). For the first nine months of 2026, Eswatini received 868,352 international visitors, representing 9.7% growth year-on-year and keeping the country on track to exceed its one-million annual arrival milestone.
Across broader source regions, Africa, the Americas, Europe and the Middle East all recorded year-on-year growth in September, while Asia and the Pacific was the only region to contract, led by sharp declines from China (-46.9%) and Taiwan (-25.5%). The average length of stay declined modestly to 1.72 nights, down from 1.82 nights in September 2025, consistent with a global trend of shorter trips driven by rising travel costs and economic uncertainty. September's performance was supported by a busy events calendar, including the Eswatini International Trade Fair and the SAIMSA Games, both of which drew regional visitors and delegates to the Kingdom.
Source: Eswatini Tourism