Royal Swazi Reopening in sight

MBABANE- What has seemed like an eternity, the Royal Swazi Hotel could finally be opening its doors before the end of the year.

The announcement was made by Tibiyo TakaNgwane Managing Director Dr Absalom Themba Dlamini yesterday during the UAE Leadership Cocktail Dinner held at Hilton Garden Inn in Mbabane.

Dlamini said the reopening was now taking shape, although he stopped short of giving an exact opening date.

The event brought together guests from various sectors, including the Cabinet ministers (Finance and Tourism) and was held in recognition of opportunities to uplift Eswatini’s tourism economy.

Dlamini said Tibiyo was working with its partners to ensure that the long-awaited reopening becomes a reality.

He said due diligence was being undertaken and needed to be completed as quickly as possible.

His remarks came after Hilton Vice President Victor Chalfoun raised the question of what remained before the hotel could reopen.

Dlamini urged the various stakeholders involved in the project to maintain momentum, saying the vision of reopening the hotel was now nearing fruition.

“The vision is coming to an end now. We realise it. It is going to happen,” he said.

He told the ministers attending the dinner that the next time they met in Parliament, they should be reporting that the hotel had opened.

PSPF Chief Executive Officer Masotja Vilakati also indicated that preparations for the reopening had been under way for some time.

Vilakati recalled that he had recently attended the Tourism NKWE conference, where Prime Minister Russell Mmiso Dlamini was asked about the reopening of the hotel.

He said the PM had challenged stakeholders to stop repeatedly talking about when the hotel would reopen and instead get on with the job.

Vilakati said the premier’s statement reflected the urgency surrounding the reopening.

He said PSPF was looking forward to working with Tibiyo and its partners to make the venture work.

“It’s a good partnership that we foresee,” he said.

Vilakati also reflected on the relationship between PSPF and Hilton, saying it went back to the construction of Hilton Garden Inn in Mbabane.

He said the experience of operating a hotel had given PSPF a better appreciation of the complexities involved in getting a hospitality establishment ready for business.

Vilakati said the tourism industry had also been severely affected by COVID-19, which struck shortly after Hilton Garden Inn opened.

He said PSPF had initially been concerned about whether the hotel would eventually become financially viable, but the institution was now in a position to make money from the hotel.

The reopening of the Royal Swazi Hotel is expected to add another major hospitality establishment to Eswatini’s tourism offering and support efforts to grow the sector.

The hotel has been closed for several years amid efforts to reposition and prepare it for reopening.

The announcement of a possible reopening before the end of December therefore brings renewed attention to one of the country’s long-awaited tourism developments.