ESWATINI TOURISM’S ‘TOUR DE FORCE’

Sometimes we are so caught up in negativity that we neglect the great things that are actually happening in Eswatini. And the most wonderful is the country recently being ranked one of the Top 10 destinations for 2020.

This rating comes from world- leading travel authority Lonely Planet. It is like a Miss World judge telling your girlfriend she is pretty. It’s a great and authentic compliment.  The country received the accolade in Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2020, a highly anticipated annual collection of the best travel destinations, trends, journeys and experiences to have in the year ahead.

This is a real tour de force for the country and in particular the Ministry of Tourism and Environmental Affairs and the Eswatini Tourism Authority. A tour de force is a noun that according to the Oxford dictionary, means an impressive performance or achievement that has been accomplished or managed with great skill.

The great skill here is the collective effort of everyone who makes sure that Eswatini is a favourable and pleasant destination for repeat visitation through excellent customer service and reception.

I watched the Minister of Tourism, Moses Vilakati, as he shared the news on Kusile Breakfast Show. He seemed as excited as the winners of the recent rugby World Cup, the Springboks. Why shouldn’t he be? To be recognised in the Top 5 countries globally to visit in 2020 is great news for a government that has identified tourism as a strategic component in economic recovery.

Vilakati was quick to mention that some naysayers may punch holes into the accolade. He said instead people should be proud and it only meant that the country must keep working hard to ensure it continues to live up to the billing.
I received a WhatsApp message from an old friend questioning this accolade after seeing it on my Facebook page. Armed with Vilakati’s responses and the explanation from the eloquent Sebe from ETA, I was able to explain how Eswatini got this recognition.

naysayers

In fact I sounded like a tourism expert talking terms like conservation, infrastructure and unique experiences Eswatini has. Well done to this ministry for sharing accurate, timely and fresh information so when naysayers like this one come up, us loyalists are able to fend them off with researched and verified information.
The argument from this friend had also been how it came to be that previously it was stated that tourists had declined Eswatini, then how had we made it into the Top 10, let alone the Top 5. Drained, I explained to him that the accolade describes Eswatini as a preferred destination not that it was talking about volumes already here. I continued the free class by sharing information from the ETA website.

“The varied landscapes within its parks and reserves provide one exciting revelation after another, whether it’s zip lining, trekking, whitewater rafting or mind-blowing rhino encounters. Mix in a pervading sense of peace and enthralling cultural festivities and you’ll be smiling all the way home.” they continue, unsurprisingly suggesting that travellers, ‘get here in 2020 to ensure yourself a front seat’.

This is an excerpt from the website on the accolade. It is a proud moment for Eswatini. I was lucky enough to be part of a session where officers from ETA came to educate youth in Manzini about careers and opportunities in tourism.

hospitality

This included tour guiding and hospitality. I liked the option of being a night life tour guide. If Eswatini had more of those perhaps I would have more sleep because many tourists like to wake me up at strange hours wanting to be shown around yet I am a heavy sleeper. Imagine being paid though for taking people out to a night club? This tourism thing can be fun!

Before the accolade, I had a pebble in my shoe regarding our tourism sector. I felt that more needed to be done to raise awareness about tourism especially domestically even before selling the experience internationally. Thankfully, since the appointment of the new Chief Executive Officer, Linda Nxumalo, the sector has indeed been abuzz again. It has got its groove back.

There is visibility and the organisation is also aligning with entertainment events as those are essential in getting tourists to the country. Nxumalo and her team are a breathe of fresh air and provide hope that 2020 will be a great year for the sector.

development

We anticipate that come this time next year we will also be celebrating improved tourism numbers because the amount of work that the team is putting in will surely yield results and those results will be great for this economy. A thriving tourism sector results in a country’s growth and a boost in economic activities. This also translates to boosting wide scale industry revenues, which also means infrastructure development.

Tourism also helps in improving the country’s brand image, which news like the accolade have done. Tourism is also a source of foreign exchange as well as results in employment generation. This past week at a business public lecture, Mfundo Mohammed, a former schoolmate of mine, shared about Growth and Fixed Mindset.

He said when a person has a fixed mindset, they believe that their basic abilities, intelligence, and talents are fixed traits. In a growth mindset, however, people believe their abilities and intelligence can be developed with effort, learning, and persistence.

May we use this recent accolade as encouragement towards the growth mindset to continue developing. And as the minister noted, live up and exceed the billing that Lonely Planet has given us. After all, the economy and you and I will be the biggest winners if we all do.

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