Durban mayor Cyril Xaba addressing members of the media about the city's tourism during the recent festive season
Image: Sipho Jack
eThekwini Municipality Mayor Cyril Xaba has declared the recently concluded festive season as one of Durban’s best in recent years.
Xaba expressed particular satisfaction with the estimated 6.8 million visitors who travelled to the city between December 1 and January 12, describing the influx as a major boost for local tourism.
In the build-up to the holiday season, the city had projected visitor numbers of just over one million, a figure that was significantly surpassed, exceeding expectations and delivering a major economic uplift.
The mayor also welcomed the fact that Durban’s beaches remained open and operational throughout the festive season, public swimming pools were well attended, and most areas of the city enjoyed a stable water supply.
Xaba made these remarks during an engagement with editors and journalists at the Octavia Boutique Hotel in Inanda on Thursday, where he reflected on city’s summer of success.
Historically regarded as Durban’s main tourism drawcard, the city’s coastline proved pivotal once again, with 23 bathing beaches declared safe for swimming — a first since 2022.
“We qualified as bathing beaches,” Xaba said. “As a safety precaution, we temporarily closed one or two beaches when necessary to ensure they met the highest safety standards.”
He said the city’s proactive approach to beach readiness allowed thousands of holidaymakers to enjoy Durban’s warm summer conditions with confidence.
Xaba further revealed that 43 public swimming pools across the municipality recorded more than 1.2 million visits during the festive period.
The mayor praised the dedication of lifeguards and emergency services, noting that they remained on high alert and responded swiftly to several rescue incidents involving swimmers.
Xaba also acknowledged the role of the media in supporting the city’s tourism success.
“Allow me to express our sincere appreciation to the media for the balanced and responsible coverage provided during the festive season, which played a significant role in attracting large numbers of visitors to our city,” he said.
“Let me state without hesitation that this was the best festive season the city has experienced in many years.”
While the city enjoyed its most stable water supply in five years, Xaba acknowledged that the season was not without challenges.
Parts of the municipality’s Outer West region experienced intermittent water disruptions due to a burst pipe linked to Umgeni Water’s infrastructure.
“Still, these obstacles did little to dampen the festive spirit as the city thrived on tourism,” Xaba said.
Deputy chairperson of the community tourism organisation in the INK area (Inanda, Ntuzuma and KwaMashu), Sizwe Lande, also shared insights into local tourism performance during the holiday period.
Lande expressed confidence in the INK region’s potential to attract tourists, generate revenue and create entrepreneurial opportunities.
He highlighted accommodation performance in the area, and singled out the Ezoweni Lodge that recorded 34 bookings via the Booking.com platform, and 18 direct bookings during the season.
Lande said tourism growth in the area was strengthened by a series of events that promoted local culture and entrepreneurship.
“Events are a key part of driving tourism into our area, and we’re very keen on seeing more of those,” he said.
Councillor Thembo Ntuli, chairperson of the city’s Economic Development and Planning Committee, echoed sentiments of resilience and growth, and encouraged ongoing collaboration with the media.
“We were excited during this festive season that we didn’t see bad stories about our city,” Ntuli said. “Together, I believe we can craft stories that can not only be celebrated by our city but also inspire continued support for our collaboration.”
DAILY NEWS