Eswatini welcomed almost 100,000 international visitors in April 2026, continuing its tourism recovery and bringing arrival numbers close to pre-pandemic levels.
According to the latest tourism statistics, the Kingdom recorded 99,884 international arrivals during April, a 10.1 per cent increase compared with the same month in 2025 and the highest monthly figure since January 2026.
Between January and April, Eswatini received 369,192 international visitors, up 10.3 per cent year-on-year and approaching the 373,521 arrivals recorded during the same period before the COVID-19 pandemic.
Regional markets drive growth
African markets remained the dominant source of visitors, accounting for 91 per cent of all international arrivals in April.
Strong growth was recorded from Zambia, up 65.9 per cent, followed by Lesotho (+62.5 per cent), Zimbabwe (+41.4 per cent) and Mozambique (+31.3 per cent).
Tourism officials attributed part of Zambia’s growth to the introduction of Eswatini Air’s direct Lusaka service, which has improved access to the destination.
South Africa, Eswatini’s largest source market, recorded a slight decline of 1.8 per cent, reflecting ongoing economic pressures and rising travel costs across the region.
Europe also delivered positive results, with arrivals increasing 9.7 per cent. France, Germany and Belgium were among the strongest-performing markets, while arrivals from the United Kingdom declined by 3.2 per cent.
Easter boosts visitor numbers
The Easter holiday period played a significant role in April’s performance, with 44,016 arrivals recorded during the Easter weekend, an increase of 11.5 per cent compared with Easter 2025.
Growth was driven by religious travel, family visits and regional holiday traffic, particularly from neighbouring South Africa and Mozambique.
The results highlight the importance of regional leisure and visiting friends and relatives (VFR) travel to Eswatini’s tourism economy.
Resilience despite economic pressures
The positive performance came despite a challenging operating environment marked by rising fuel prices, electricity tariff increases and ongoing geopolitical tensions affecting global travel markets.
While arrivals from the Americas declined by 14.5 per cent and the Middle East recorded a sharp drop of 74.1 per cent, tourism authorities said the overall results demonstrate the resilience of Eswatini’s tourism sector and the destination’s growing appeal within regional markets.
With international arrivals now approaching pre-pandemic levels, the Kingdom continues to build momentum as travel demand across Southern Africa strengthens.
