eThekwini ready to host and entertain visitors this summer

THE festive season has officially kicked off in eThekwini with the municipality rolling out the red carpet to visitors by showing what Durban has to offer in terms of entertainment, scenic beach views and tours around the city.

From North Beach on the Ricksha Bus to walking tours along Durban’s famous Florida Road and activities at uShaka Marine World, stakeholders were treated to an eventful day by the City to highlight eThekwini’s biggest draw for revellers this summer.

“A lot of work has gone in to getting Durban ready for this summer,” said Durban Tourism deputy head Winile Mntungwa. “We are excited with the recovery that eThekwini has made. As we speak, only two beaches out of 23 are closed to bathing, so that means summer for our visitors will be exciting.”

Also Read: City council approves R5.4 million for safer, cleaner Durban beachfront for festive season

Mntungwa said that hotel capacity has improved compared to the previous year, indicating a positive start to the summer.

“Last year, we were sitting at 65% in terms of bookings, but with the City being hard at work, monitoring water quality and repairing infrastructure, the booking has shot up by 10% in terms of our projections,” said Mntungwa.

Those figures were also confirmed by Brett Tungay, FEDHASA East Coast chairperson, who said bookings could reach up to 90% along the coast.

He said, “The city is looking good, the municipality has definitely upped the game in terms of cleanliness and the crime stats have come down, as well. The restaurants are open, and the swimming pools all have water, and people should come and experience Durban.”

To reimagine Durban as a premier destination, the City has worked tirelessly to address past challenges and elevate its attractions. Improvements include stabilised beach water quality, fully operational swimming pools, a robust safety strategy and upgraded maintenance standards. Attractions along the beach include rides on the manpowered rickshaws and segways which are available for rent for a spin along the Golden Mile. To enhance safety and convenience, Durban Metro Police, alongside law enforcement agencies, are ensuring high visibility at key tourist hotspots.

Metro police spokesperson Colonel Boysie Zungu said the measures include access-controlled roads and the deployment of over 500 newly trained metro police officers with over 170 high-performance vehicles.

“We have increased our visibility on highways and in the CBD to ensure that no crime is taking place. Our cameras are active, and our beach plans are in place,” said Zungu.

Metro police has also introduced the Coastal and Tourists Unit which will specialise in ensuring the safety of tourist areas.

“On Monday, 590 officers will be deployed to ensure the safety of everyone with roadblocks active everywhere. Issues of bail will be discussed in January for offenders because no police will be sitting in court waiting for matters to be heard. If you commit an offence, you will face the consequences,” said Zungu.

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