During major festivals and events in Eswatini, there is a mushrooming trend of people renting out their residential places. From back rooms in townships to spare houses in suburban neighbourhoods, homeowners are opening their doors to tourists looking for a quick and cheap place to stay.
But the Eswatini Tourism Authority says this booming informal market is creating problems that could hurt both visitors and the country’s tourism reputation.
According to Eswatini Tourism Authority’s Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Khulile Dlamini, this trend undermines tourism regulations, especially the bed levy regulation which is used to fund tourism development and marketing in the country. 
“It also violates municipalities’ standards as the accommodation is not graded, verified and checked to see if it’s fit for housing people,” she said.
Dlamini explained that all accommodation facilities in the country are required by law to be registered with the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Trade and to meet health, safety and grading standards set by the ETA.
“If you decide overnight that you want to rent out your place as accommodation, you are risking the lives of the tourists,” she said. “We have standards for a reason. Fire exits, sanitation, security. Without inspections, we simply do not know what condition these places are in.”
The CFO said another major concern is consumer protection. Unlike licensed establishments, informal rentals do not offer insurance or accountability.
“The problem with these informal places is that they do not offer insurance in times of accidents,” she said. “If anything happens to you while you are in that establishment, who would compensate you as the entity is not compliant and recognised? Even the ETA has cuffed hands in that regard.”
Dlamini urged tourists, especially those coming in for festivals and national events, to verify compliance before booking. She said travellers should ask for proof of registration and grading, and only book through recognised channels.
“We urge consumers not to put their lives in danger and check compliance before booking,” she warned.
She also appealed directly to homeowners who are renting out their properties. While acknowledging the economic pressure and high demand during events, Dlamini said compliance is the only sustainable way forward.
“We call on these overnight establishments’ owners to register and comply. It’s good for business,” she said.
Dlamini revealed that the ETA has now introduced profiling and grading of compliant accommodations, a system that allows tourists to easily identify safe and approved facilities.
“You are not going to get that grading if you are not compliant,” she said. “Graded establishments are promoted by the ETA, listed on our platforms, and given priority during events. If you remain informal, you are cutting yourself off from those benefits.”
