Durban can match Rio
The city is getting ready for the Commonwealth Games
IT’S a comparison everyone is talking about: if Rio is looking so amazing on TV for the Olympics, then just imagine how beautiful Durban is going to look during the Commonwealth Games in 2022.
However, if Durban’s head of tourism, Phillip Sithole, has anything to do with it – and he does – Durban, he says, is going to look even better than Rio.
“We’ve been seeing some amazing images of Rio during the Olympics broadcast, and they are making use of aerial footage to show the city and the areas where the games are being played, especially alongside the beach.
“With Durban also being a coastal city, we can visualise how fantastic the city is going to look, which will help showcase this beautiful city to the rest of the world,” said Sithole.
The Rio Olympics draws to a close tomorrow, and despite many concerns, such as the Zika virus and violence, still drew thousands to the capital city of Brazil.
“We are preparing for the Commonwealth Games and it will give us a great opportunity to showcase our products as a city, much like Rio is doing now. Their beaches look fantastic, and so will ours. In fact, Durban will look much better.
“I have been to Rio before and they are only showing off some of their tourism products, which include the beach. But we want to show all of Durban, from the beaches to the Warwick market area.
“By 2022 the developments up in Umhlanga, such as the Pearls, will also be complete, so there will be added facilities to showcase.
“The Point waterfront area will also be complete. Just imagine how beautiful the coastal images of Durban and its surroundings will be,” said Sithole.
He added that the city was also gearing up to showcase township tourism during the Commonwealth Games, so that international audiences would see all that the city had to offer.
Carol Coetzee, head of the KZN Film Commission, said her reaction when seeing Rio’s coastline was to draw parallels with Durban.
“When I was watching the Olympics, and seeing how Rio was being showcased, I thought just imagine how amazing Durban is going to look, especially coming from the film industry, you see the value in the exposure the city is going to get,” said Coetzee.
She said the commission was working with key players and the Department of Economic Affairs in the lead-up to the Commonwealth Games.
“It’s a wonderful opportunity to see how best to showcase the city, not just as a location shoot, but for jobs for people involved in the different aspects of broadcasting.
“There are talks happening to ensure we have local film-makers during the Games. We also want our people to have the necessary skills, so some of the focus will be on developing that. Durban is going to look amazing,” she said.