International and domestic arrivals lift Durban tourism
International arrivals and domestic visitor spending surged in July, giving eThekwini’s tourism sector a much-needed boost.
AS the nation celebrates Tourism Month this September, the eThekwini Municipality has reported seeing a huge boost in international tourism with July being the strongest month.
According to the City, July recorded approximately 28 000 international arrivals, contributing an estimated R83.1m to the city’s visitor economy. While international tourism showed encouraging signs of recovery, domestic tourism remained a major driver of the city’s visitor economy.
“Domestic tourism contributed more than R830m to eThekwini’s economy in July, representing a 19% month-on-month growth and making July the strongest contributing month of the year to date,” said municipal spokesperson Senzelwe Mzila.
He said the figure painted a map for eThekwini tourism recovery, especially when it comes to international visitors. International arrivals increased by 22.4% compared to June, marking a notable recovery.
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This was also confirmed by SA Tourism General Manager of Data and Analytics, Melusi Mngomezulu, who said the continued improvement could result in significant tourism growth by the end of the year.
“If the positive trend recorded in July continues through the remainder of the year, eThekwini could see significant tourism growth by December. At the current rate, the city could close the year at just under R1b in international tourism revenue contribution,” said Mngomezulu.
He said the growth would provide a stronger indication of progress not only in visitor numbers and spending, but also in the broader revitalisation of eThekwini as a leading tourism destination.
International markets also continued to demonstrate their importance to Durban’s tourism performance. The UAE, UK, Saudi Arabia, US, and France were among the contributing markets, collectively contributing approximately R10.3m during July. France was among the top international contributors to eThekwini.
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