Eswatini recorded 96,152 international visitor arrivals in June 2026, a 1.6 per cent decline from the 97,745 arrivals reported in June 2025, according to the latest tourism statistics released by the Eswatini Tourism Authority.
The Authority said in its report that the modest decrease reflects both domestic tourism dynamics and broader global travel trends during the month.
According to the report, the decline followed ‘the exceptionally strong tourism activity experienced at the end of May’ when Eswatini hosted the Bushfire Festival. 
“As anticipated, the surge in international arrivals associated with the festival was temporary, and visitor numbers moderated after the event concluded, resulting in lower arrivals during June,” the report stated.
Internationally, the authority noted that the commencement of the 2026 FIFA World Cup on 11 June redirected substantial international travel demand towards the tournament’s host countries, Canada, Mexico and the United States.
The report also cited the latest UN Tourism World Tourism Barometer, which indicates that rising transport costs, geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and economic pressures in several key source markets are expected to continue constraining long-haul travel.
Africa remained Eswatini’s largest source region, contributing 89,624 visitors, or approximately 93.0 per cent of all international arrivals.
However, arrivals from the region declined by 1.3 per cent compared to June 2025, the report shows.
The regional decline was primarily driven by a significant reduction in arrivals from South Africa, which fell by 16.0 per cent from 63,337 to 53,229 visitors.
The Authority said this continues a trend of consecutive monthly declines recorded since the beginning of the year.
The report attributes the weaker South African demand partly to rising economic pressures in the region,
including recent increases in fuel and electricity prices, which have raised the overall cost of travel and reduced disposable income available for tourism and leisure activities.”
