Eswatini part of sustainable tourism

MBABANE – Boundless Southern Africa is in Eswatini on a familiarisation tour of the Lubombo Trans Frontier Conservation Area (TFCA).

Boundless Southern Africa is a regional marketing and investment promotion initiative that supports and facilitates sustainable tourism development in Southern Africa TFCAs. Lubombo TFCA is a complex system of conservation area that stretches between Eswatini, Mozambique and South Africa, covering a total area of 11 169 square kilometres. This tri-lateral agreement was signed in June 2000 with the ministerial government.

The group arrived on Thursday night, via Bulembu to familiarise themselves with the natural and culture heritage. This heritage includes natural inhabitants and vegetation. The tour includes places such as Phophonyane Eco-falls, Hlane National Park and Mhlumeni Bush Camp. The tour is to proceed to Mozambique and South Africa.

According to Boundless Southern Africa, Lubombo is one of the striking areas of biodiversity; it offers conversation of elephants, a nest for leatherback turtles, and cultural activities. The aim of the tour is to help tour operators realise this conservation area full of scenic environment as a tourism product and sell it as a package. Through this TFCA, a coalition of State and non-State members planned to create the Lubombo Eco Trails (LET) networks.

The LET is a community based initiative: A growing adventure trails network including hiking, mountain biking, 4x4 routes, bird watching, cultural routes and river rafting. The Eco Trails will also initiate a number of community enterprise such as eco-lodge and cultural attractions. A product of this is Mhlumeni Bush Camp.