An estimated R60 million from 45 000 visitors over the recent Easter long-weekend has renewed hope for eThekwini Tourism affiliates and subsequently the hospitality industry on the South Coast.
Andrë van der Banke, general manager at The View Boutique Hotel and Spa, said Easter had been excellent and that bookings filled rapidly. “This was the first period we had been fully booked since 2019. Before this, we had to keep our staff going with little to no occupancy during the height of lockdown.” According to eThekwini, hotel occupancy increased by 60%, above average, contributing to a GDP of R150 million which saw 320 jobs being created in the province’s most notable sector. Jolene Els, operations director at the acclaimed 305 Guest House, agreed on the increased clientele which had been steadily rising over the last eight weeks. “We’ve been on a great run so far but also give credit to our explosive advertising campaign and discounted specials on offer.” Mxolisi Kaunda, eThekwini mayor, said R33 million had been invested into the Economic Recovery Plan to maintain key assets including beaches, parks, Covid-19 public safety, related infrastructure and an equally aggressive marketing campaign of the province. “These investments as well as other existing initiatives, including the recently announced Blue Flag beaches, paved the way for eThekwini to dominate and grow domestic tourism, an extremely important contributor to our local employment and economy.”
Els said apart from their regular corporate and company guests, most South Africans were looking to stretch their rands given economic restraints from Covid-19 insecurity. “A smaller disposable income means most nationals are hunting for specials to get the most from the least amount of monies. We’ve found a lot of guests making spontaneous, last-minute bookings as a result while they scan online for the best deals.” Van der Banke agreed. He said, “If one were to go online and look for availability of accommodation on the South Coast most places, including BnBs, Air BnBs, hotels of all stars and private-owned houses, are all fully booked. This extends from uMhlanga right through to Scottsburgh.”
In the Ugu District Municipality, where water access is unreliable, several businesses have installed JoJo tanks and generators to ensure guests receive excellent service. Gavin Forbes, from Lilly’s Bread Bin, said that they “have back-up water and cook with gas during loadshedding” in order to cater for increased demand. Durban Tourism said they still plan on doing a number of in-market activations and above-line marketing initiatives to launch and unveil new products, hidden gems and collaborations with stakeholders in both the public and private sector as they keep the tourism-ball rolling.
