Tourism sector upbeat ahead of Easter
THE Federated Hospitality Association of South Africa (Fedhasa) and tourism organisations in KwaZulu-Natal said they were expecting a busy Easter weekend.
Brett Tungay, Fedhasa's East Coast chairperson, said things were looking good for the Easter weekend.
“Feedback from members indicates that there is at least 80% occupancy for some places and 100% at other accommodation venues in KZN. It's looking good and we are also hoping that the weather plays its part this weekend. We are definitely looking forward to a good weekend in all the main tourist areas in KZN.”
Tungay said it was also a relief that the province was heading into a holiday weekend without any issues with the beaches.
“It's the first major holiday in a while that all the beaches in Durban are open; we hope that it remains the same for the weekend. It looks good at this stage with the municipality working again and clearing the waste that has been lying around.
“We hope that we don't experience any major challenges with water over the weekend and that there are no service delivery challenges.”
Sabelo Didi, vice-chairperson for uMhlanga Tourism, said although the sector had not fully recovered, there are positive signs ahead of the Easter weekend.
“This is only the third Easter weekend after the devastating Covid-19 pandemic and we are happy with the work the municipality has done on the beaches.
“Big cities have their own problems now and again but we have seen the responsible departments working on the beach issue.”
Jeannie Sarno, the chairperson of uMhlanga Tourism, said they had marketed the region to out-of-town visitors with images and videos of what the precinct has to offer.
Deborah Ludick, acting CEO of South Coast Tourism and Investment Enterprise (SCTIE), said there had been positive feedback from the KZN South Coast tourism establishments and the region was expecting to welcome a significant number of tourists this Easter holiday.
“In addition to having the highest number of Blue Flag beaches and tidal pools in the province, the KZN South Coast remains a key tourism destination because of its affordability and unique tourism offerings.”
Ludick said the launch of the Wellness Way Route had opened up experiences to those wanting a wellness travel option, while the popular extreme adventures such as gorge swinging, ziplining and abseiling would cater to adrenaline-seeking tourists.
EThekwini Municipality said that about 1.3 million visitors will descend on the city over the Easter break.
“The local economy is set to receive a boost with direct spending estimated at approximately R2.7 billion and a GDP contribution of around R6.6bn, with 11 904 employment opportunities created over this period.”
EThekwini mayor Mxolisi Kaunda said that these projections will provide a much-needed boost for the tourism industry.
“Durban is ready to host the influx of visitors as the situation has returned to normality following the end of an unprotected strike by council workers which adversely affected municipal services.”
Kaunda added that a safety and security plan had been developed by the metro police and stakeholders to ensure visibility at all key tourism attractions and hot spots.