MOMO XPERIENCE SHOWS TOURISM POTENTIAL

MALKERNS, Eswatini — The third edition of MoMo Xperience has once again demonstrated the growing power of live entertainment to support domestic tourism in Eswatini, drawing thousands of music lovers to Malkerns Country Club for a vibrant showcase of local and regional talent, culture and community celebration.

Held over the weekend, the festival brought together a diverse line-up of performers from Eswatini and South Africa, blending gospel, traditional music, contemporary sounds and amapiano into a single event that kept crowds engaged from start to finish. Beyond the performances, the event highlighted the increasing role of festivals in boosting local travel, supporting the visitor economy and positioning Eswatini as a destination for cultural and entertainment tourism.

This year’s edition attracted large crowds from across the country, with attendees travelling to Malkerns for a full-scale entertainment experience featuring South African singer Lloyiso, gospel artist Sphiwo Ndoni, acapella group The Soil, Dj Sam Deep, local artist Sancheziey, DJ Mbo and Bholoja to name a few. The result was a packed programme that celebrated both established regional acts and homegrown talent, while creating a platform for cultural exchange and destination appeal.

For domestic tourism, events such as MoMo Xperience offer more than just a night out. They encourage travel between towns and regions, create demand for accommodation, food outlets, transport services and informal traders, and give visitors another reason to explore Eswatini’s leisure and entertainment spaces. In destinations such as Malkerns, which already enjoys strong appeal through its scenery, arts, lifestyle venues and festival culture, events of this nature add further value to the local tourism offering.

The festival also reflected the kind of event diversity that strengthens destination marketing. From the spiritually uplifting performance by Sphiwo Ndoni to the traditional cultural showcase by Sancheziey, and from MCO Jamrock’s energetic crowd engagement to The Soil’s rich harmonies and Lloyiso’s headline performance, MoMo Xperience presented an entertainment product capable of appealing to different audiences across age groups and musical interests.

Importantly, the event showcased Eswatini’s ability to host large-scale experiences that combine modern entertainment with local identity. Sancheziey’s set, backed by a traditional dance troupe, stood out as a reminder that festivals can be used not only to entertain but also to celebrate and preserve Swati culture in a way that is accessible to both local and visiting audiences.

As Eswatini continues to build its profile as a tourism destination, festivals like MoMo Xperience have the potential to become important anchors on the national events calendar. With consistent growth, strong organisation and strategic packaging, such events can evolve beyond domestic appeal to attract regional and international travellers looking for authentic cultural experiences, live music and destination-based entertainment.

The country already has examples of how festivals can drive travel and destination visibility, and MoMo Xperience appears to be carving out its own place within that space. Its mix of music, youth appeal, local culture and regional star power gives it strong potential to become not just an entertainment event, but a tourism asset that contributes to Eswatini’s broader destination brand.

Festival Director Mbekezeli “Culolam” Dlamini thanked emaSwati for supporting the third edition of the event, acknowledging the strong turnout that helped make the festival another success.

With each edition, MoMo Xperience is doing more than entertaining crowds, it is helping to shape a stronger case for festival tourism in Eswatini. If nurtured and strategically marketed, the event could in future become one of the country’s notable platforms for driving domestic travel, attracting regional visitors and ultimately contributing to international tourism growth.