July has emerged as a month of renewed optimism for eThekwini’s tourism sector, with a significant increase in both international and domestic visitor spending, showing positive momentum in the city’s tourism economy.

The latest performance was highlighted during the Presidential eThekwini Working Group on Tourism Revitalisation Workstream 4 meeting held in the south of Durban on September 15, where stakeholders assessed the latest tourism performance figures and discussed interventions aimed at strengthening the city’s tourism appeal and addressing challenges affecting tourism, particularly in the south of Durban.

Figures provided by South African Tourism paint an encouraging picture of the city’s international tourism performance. In July, eThekwini recorded approximately 28 000 international arrivals, contributing an estimated R83.1m to the city’s visitor economy.

International arrivals increased by 22.4% compared to June, marking a notable recovery.

SA Tourism General Manager of Data and Analytics, Melusi Mngomezulu, 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.

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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.

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.

The spending patterns also demonstrate the broader economic impact of tourism on the city. Retail, restaurants, food, and groceries were the strongest spending categories, highlighting how visitor activity supports businesses and livelihoods across different sectors of the local economy.

The positive July performance comes as the city, together with its partners through the Presidential eThekwini Working Group on Tourism Revitalisation, continues to implement interventions aimed at strengthening the destination, improving the visitor experience, and unlocking the full potential of tourism across eThekwini.

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