KwaZulu-Natal has assured visitors from Eswatini that the province is ready to welcome them for the festive season despite the unsettling conditions , as it steps up efforts to promote tourism and film opportunities among Eswatini and in particular school going learners who are exploring careers after school.
Pinky Radebe, Head of Public Relations and Communications at KwaZulu-Natal Tourism and Film Authority, said the province continued to welcome visitors while government and law enforcement agencies dealt with the unrest.
Speaking during the authority’s Tourism and Film Schools Awareness Programme in Eswatini, Radebe said the tourism sector remained focused on welcoming visitors and ensuring their safety.
“We are not aloof to what is happening,” she said, adding that the tourism sector continued to promote the importance of being a good host and ensuring that visitors were safe.
Radebe said the province continued to host major events, pointing to a recent football match between Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns that attracted visitors from other provinces.
She said the tourism sector relied on South African Tourism for statistics to assess the impact of developments on visitor numbers.
Eswatini remains a key market
Radebe said Eswatini was an important source market for KwaZulu-Natal because of the relatively easy access between the two destinations, and also has alot more to explore having being landlocked.
She explained that the authority reviewed its marketing strategy annually and developed activities to reach different markets, including international visitors and school groups, and not wait for schools to reach out to them about school trips and like, as an intentional way of extending tourist activities and emerging updated packages.
The Tourism and Film Schools Awareness Programme, held from 22 to 24 October, was part of the authority’s 2026/27 international marketing initiatives. It sought to promote KwaZulu-Natal’s tourism offerings and film industry while encouraging cultural and educational exchange.
The programme engaged learners and teachers, introducing them to attractions in the province and the opportunities available in tourism, film and marine education.
Radebe said school groups were an important market, particularly during the August school holidays, when learners travel for educational excursions. She said the programme also gave the authority an opportunity to engage teachers who organise school trips and develop itineraries for learners.
KZN Sharks Board combines tourism and education
KZN Sharks Board offered another experience through its marine education and conservation activities. The KZN Sharks Board formed part of the outreach programme, introducing learners to marine life, shark behaviour and the measures used to protect people at selected beaches.
Mr Babalwa Mbatha of the KZN Sharks Board said the organisation offered educational experiences that allowed visitors to learn about sharks and their role in the marine environment. One of its activities is shark dissection, which gives visitors an opportunity to see and touch specimens while learning about shark anatomy and behaviour.
Mbatha said the activity helped challenge common perceptions that sharks were naturally aggressive towards people. He explained that people entering the ocean were entering the natural habitat of marine animals, making it important to understand their behaviour and how to interact with the marine environment safely.
The organisation also offers boat trips where visitors can observe sharks and other marine life, including dolphins and whales. These trips provide an opportunity to learn about the equipment used to protect beachgoers from shark encounters.
Visitors can also explore a museum featuring different shark species.Mbatha said these experiences were particularly useful for school groups because they combined tourism with practical learning about marine biodiversity and conservation.
He said shark dissection shows cost R60 per person, while schoolchildren paid R20. Boat trips and sea deep Shark habitat views are offered from E120 to about E350, depending on time of booking and day.
More than beaches
While KwaZulu-Natal’s beaches remain a major attraction for visitors from Eswatini, Radebe said the province offered other experiences that school groups could explore.
These include uShaka Marine World, museums in Durban, city attractions and the City tour bus, which she said tourists and learners often enjoyed.
Career opportunities within tourism
Beyond attractions, the programme seeks to introduce learners to the different careers available within the tourism industry.
Radebe said learners had shown interest in understanding how tour operators work, how group tours are organised and how itineraries are planned.
Other opportunities include working in hotels, bed-and-breakfast establishments and travel agencies, as well as in other areas of hospitality. The film component also seeks to broaden learners’ understanding of the industry beyond acting.
“We wanted to dispel the notion that you can only act where Film is concerned,”
She explained that learners were introduced to careers such as producing, screenwriting, wardrobe and makeup, among other roles involved in film production.
Building regional tourism links
Radebe said the outreach was part of the authority’s efforts to strengthen its relationship with Eswatini as a source market and encourage more visitors to explore KwaZulu-Natal.
She said the province’s accessibility made it an option for travellers planning holidays along the coast, while its range of attractions offered experiences for families, school groups and other visitors.
The programme was initially scheduled for May 2026 but was postponed because of school holidays in Eswatini and clashes with other programmes.
Through its engagement with Eswatini schools and its partnership with the KZN Sharks Board, KwaZulu-Natal Tourism and Film is promoting the province as a holiday destination while exposing learners to career opportunities across tourism, film and marine education.
