SEZIQALILE ukwenza umehluko obonakalayo izinhlelo zeDurban Tourism zokuvuselela ezokuvakasha, emasontweni amabili edlule iTheku libe nenqwaba yezivakashi ezingenise izizumbulu emnothweni wedolobha.
Kufike izivakashi ezingaphezu kuka-35 000 ezisebenzise imali engaphezu kuka-R46 million, kwangena imali elinganiselwa ku-R113 million emnothweni wedolobha. Izivakashi ezifikile zenze ngaphezudlwana kuka-31% wezivakashi ezingamukelwa iTheku uma ezokuvakasha zisebenza ngokuphelele. Lokhu kuvezwe iMeya yeTheku uKhansela Mxolisi Kaunda, othe umkhankaso wokukhangisa iTheku njengedolobha elingungqa phambili kwezokuvakasha usize kakhulu ekulungiseni kabusha isithombe sedolobha. Kuzo kubalwa nokuqiniswa kwezokuphepha ezindaweni ezihamba phambili ngobugebengu. UKaunda uthe idolobha belilungisele ukufika kwezivakashi eziningi uma izwe selingena kuLevel 4 weLockdown, kodwa okwakuhleliwe kwaphazanyiswa imibhikisho. Uthe Itheku lilahlekelwe imali eningi ebizokwenziwa ngezokuvakasha, ikakhulukazi phakathi kukaJulayi 8 kuya kuJulayi-17.
Ngalesi sikhathi, iTheku lilahlekelwe izivakashi ezingu-50 000 ebezizosebenzisa imali engu-R110 million, kungene u-R280 million emnothweni wezokuvakasha, kukhiqizeke nemisebenzi engu-600. UKaunda uthe zizoqhubeka izinhlelo zikamasipala zokuqinisa ezokuphepha. Abezomthetho bazobonakala kwizikhumulo zezindiza, isemntateni, izindawo ezigudle ulwandle, izindawo zamabhizinisi nakwizinxanxathela zezitolo. “Senza konke lokhu ngokubambisana nezinhlaka ezehlukene zomphakathi nezokuvakasha,” kusho uKaunda. Muva nje iTheku lisanda kuhlela ingqungquthela lapho kubhungwe khona ngezinhlelo ezehlukene zokuthuthukisa ezokuvakasha kuleli dolobha iTIA360 eThekwini Tourism Investment Symposium, ebihlanganise Ongoti bezokuvakasha nabezomnotho ngenhloso yokuqinisa ubudlelwane bokusebenzisana.
Lolu hlelo luzobhekelela nokuthi osomabhizinisi abakhahlamezekile bayalekelelwa ngokusebenzisa iBusiness Turnaround and Recovery Programme. Kukhuthazwa nosomabhizinisi abakulo mkhakha ukuba bethumele izicelo zabo ukuze bezosizakala, kufaka abanezindawo zokuvakasha kanye nabasebenzisana nazo. ITheku liqhuba nomkhankaso wokukhuthaza ukuvakashelwa kwezindawo ezincane emphakathini iKnow Your City Campaign, liphinde libambisane nezinhlangano zokuvakasha zomhlaba wonke njengendlela yokukhumbuza izivakashi ngakho konke okutholakala eThekwini. “Kuhlelwe imcimbi emningi esiqophelweni eliphezulu ezoba se-Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre (ICC) ngoNovemba nangoDisemba, lokhu kuzokwenzeka ngokulandela imigomo yomvalelandlini. Idolobha liyaqhubeka nokwenza kahle,” kusho uKaunda.
