Johannesburg - The Gauteng leg of the Durban Tourism “Visit Durban” roadshow reached a celebratory crescendo with a special trade and networking session held at The Munro Boutique Hotel in Sandton on Friday, May 21.
With Kelly Khumalo, Somizi Mhlongo, Mondli Ngcobo, DJ Tira and DJ Merlon among the celebrities in attendance, the glittering event showcased Durban as one of South Africa’s premium tourist destinations.
Speaking at an event, Durban Tourism Deputy Head Winile Mntungwa said: “We want to renew the Durban experience; and we want to make sure that the economy gets back to what it was before the Covid-19.”
She added that those who want to travel should consider Durban as their next destination, because the city “always has a vibe and is warm even in winter”.
Mntungwa said that the tourism entity chose to kick off its promotional roadshow in Gauteng since it is the key source market for Durban and the economic hub of South Africa.
“As we are heading into winter, Durban will be hosting the famous Vodacom Durban July. People must not think that due to Covid-19, this prestigious horse race event will not be held,” said Mntungwa.
She explained that there will still be a “Durban July experience”, with entertainment and screenings in different hot spots so that the people of South Africa can still enjoy the vibe of this magnificent event.
“We have new and exciting developments in Durban, and are hoping that there will be no further restrictions because of Covid-19. We will however make sure that all Covid-19 regulations are being followed.
“We keep checking that all places are compliant in order to ensure that when visitors come, they will be safe.”
Discussing how the Covid-19 pandemic had negatively affected tourism in Durban – with the number of visitors decreasing and many businesses having to close – Mtungwa revealed that Durban Tourism had recently launched an economic recovery plan. The City has also allocated additional funding to community tourism organisations, which are key drivers in promoting tourism within the City and rural areas.
“During the Easter season, the number of visitors was encouraging. Since then, the hotels have been full because of Durban Tourism’s promotion of our city and its efforts to draw visitors,” she said.
Mashoto Mokgethi, South African Tourism Hub Head: Domestic Tourism said that Durban is one of the best citaies in South Africa and people should seriously consider paying it a visit.
“We are still in a pandemic. People must stay safe and continue to follow the regulations. We don’t want to go back to times when we were not al- lowed to travel. That is the reason we only engage with establishments that we know are safe and have all health and safety protocols in place,” said Mokgethi.
Mpho Lekoba, KZN Sharks Board Acting Executive Business Development added that as they were trying to recover from the pandemic, they were hoping that the Visit Durban campaign would be successful in increasing the number of visitors.
For more information on what Durban has to offer, visit: www.visitdurban.travel