Mpumalanga is positioning itself as a gateway for regional tourism growth through the TriLand Agreement, a tourism partnership between South Africa, Mozambique and Eswatini aimed at encouraging travellers to explore the three destinations in one trip.
The agreement seeks to market the region as a connected tourism experience combining wildlife, beaches, culture and adventure tourism across borders.
For Mpumalanga, which shares borders with both Mozambique and Eswatini, the initiative could create opportunities for guesthouses, tour operators, restaurants, transport businesses and informal traders who rely heavily on tourism spending.
According to the Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency (MTPA), the initiative is designed to strengthen regional tourism cooperation while positioning the three destinations as a competitive international tourism offering.
“The collaboration aims to create a tourism corridor that integrates the natural, cultural and historical attractions of the three countries into one tourism experience that can attract more international travellers,” officials said during recent TriLand discussions.
The agreement is expected to promote attractions such as the Kruger National Park, cultural heritage tourism in Eswatini and coastal tourism experiences in Mozambique.
Wandile Sihlobo who owns The Princes Guest house said regional partnerships are becoming increasingly important as tourists look for broader travel experiences.
“International travellers are no longer looking at single destinations only. Many tourists want a full regional experience where they can visit wildlife attractions, beaches and cultural sites within one trip,” Sihlobo said.
“If Southern African countries cooperate more effectively on tourism marketing and infrastructure, the region could become more competitive globally and that would benefit businesses across the tourism value chain, especially smaller operators in local communities.”
Officials have also discussed creating a joint digital platform to market the “TriLand tourism package” internationally as part of efforts to improve the visibility of the region.
Tourism businesses in Mpumalanga say the initiative could help smaller tourism operators access markets that are often difficult and expensive to reach independently.
“A regional tourism campaign could make a major difference for smaller tourism businesses that do not have large marketing budgets,” said a tourism entrepreneur based in Mbombela.
“It could help local tour guides, township tourism operators, accommodation providers and community tourism projects attract more international visitors and increase spending in local economies.”
The agreement is also expected to encourage investment in tourism infrastructure, including accommodation, transport connectivity and border facilities between the three countries.
However, some tourism stakeholders warned that transport challenges and border delays could affect the success of the initiative if they are not properly addressed.
“Tourists want travel experiences that are smooth and convenient. If border crossings remain slow or transport systems are not well coordinated, the region could lose some of the economic benefits linked to the agreement,” said Nomkhosi Dlamini, a regional tourism industry representative.
Tourism remains one of Mpumalanga’s key economic sectors, particularly in rural communities where small businesses and informal traders depend on visitor spending for income and employment opportunities.
Officials believe the TriLand Agreement could strengthen Mpumalanga’s position as a regional tourism hub while helping Southern Africa compete more effectively in the international tourism market.
