New developments to attract local travellers
DESPITE a recent decline
in domestic tourism,
tourism authorities are
confident new travel initiatives
will succeed in drawing local
travellers to KZN.
In 2013 the Department for
Economic Development and
Tourism (DEDT) in KwaZuluNatal
(KZN) published a
Tourism Master Plan, a longterm
strategy covering a
19-year period. Its vision was
to become globally renowned
as Africa’s top beach
destination. The plan’s targets
included increasing both
international and domestic
tourist arrivals.
Despite the targets set, the
KZN share of the domestic
market declined to 18,7%
in 2014 from 29% in 2009.
The DEDT says that at
the moment it is 328 000
trips down for the third
quarter of 2014. However,
the department notes that
the final quarter frequently
contains the largest number
of trips for any quarter of
the year.
It attributes low numbers to
the economic downturn, which
has impacted South Africa.
“However, as Tourism KZN we
continue with our aggressive
marketing campaigns to
ensure that we continue to
get the lion’s share of the
domestic market,” the DEDT
says. “Looking at our various
marketing interventions, we
foresee a growth in domestic
tourism.”
Iconic projects span berg and beach
THE development of “iconic
projects” identified in the
Master Plan to enhance
the tourism competitiveness
of the province, is at
varying stages.
Among these, and
somewhat controversial
from an environmental point
of view, is the Drakensberg
Cable Car, to be built in the
Busingatha Valley at Mount
Amery, just south of the Royal
Natal National Park and on
the Lesotho border, with a
possible extension into the
neighbouring kingdom.
According to DEDT, a
feasibility study and business
plan were completed during
the 2013/2014 financial year
and pointed to the need for
a full environmental impact
assessment (EIA). A similar
feasibility study and business
plan is currently being
conducted on the Lesotho
side by the same service
provider, Graham Muller and
Associates.
Resort and beach hotel
developments are other
iconic projects KZN has
lined up, a response to a
“lack of integrated beach
resorts” highlighted in the
Tourism Master Plan. Tourism
KZN (TKZN) ceo, Ndabo
Khoza, says beach resorts
accommodating 300 people
are a minimum requirement
from an airlift and charter
point of view.
“Although there is a good
variety of accommodation in
and around Durban, we do not
yet have an international hotel
and resort operator to appeal
to the mass-market traveller
or to the volume focused tour
operator,” he says. This is
backed by research among
international tour operators,
who confirm that an absence
of critical mass, internationally
brand-recognised beachfront
hotels spanning the threeto
five-star markets, is a
hindrance to the province.
Potential resort sites such
as Nonoti, Blythdale, Tinley
Manor and Sibaya can offer
hundreds of rooms. The
Beach Resorts Development
Programme, a collaboration by
TKZN, Trade and Investment
KZN, and Tongaat Hulett’s
development arm, is
facilitating the construction of
facilities in these locations.
They are at an advanced
stage in planning, obtaining
environmental approvals
and sourcing of investors,
developers and operators.
Coming soon
THE Nonoti Beach Resort
is located at KwaDukuza
(formerly Stanger), next to
Prince’s Grant Golf Estate.
Easily accessible from the
N2 freeway, it is some 20
minutes’ drive away from
King Shaka International
Airport. Plans include four
nodes of accommodation
facilities totalling 822
beds, six restaurants
and bars, a 200-seater
conference facility with
100-seater breakaway
room, a wellness centre
and curio/beach/surf
shop. A developer is still
being firmed up.
At Blythedale Coastal
Resort, the Elan Group
is developing a
R15-billion facility with
an 18-hole championship
golf course, equestrian
centre and sporting
school. Resort facilities
include three beach nodes
consisting of swimming
pools, restaurants, bars
and convenience shops.
Hotel facilities comprise
a themed resort area
with 600 rooms and 200
resort units, wellness
centre and spa.
Also at Blythedale,
the proposed Sovereign
Sands Beach Resort will
consist of a 220-room
four-star hotel, beach
club/restaurant, wellness
centre and meeting
rooms. A number of three
to six room private family
villas, already constructed,
will supplement the
accommodation.
In Umhlanga, the
skyline is set to undergo
a transformation with
the introduction of
Oceans Umhlanga, a
Dubai-style mixed-use
development valued at
over R3,1 billion. The
project of the Edison and
Ducatus Property Groups,
it will consist of two
residential towers with
460 apartments, a
33 000sqm shopping
mall and a 200-room
five-star hotel.
It’s all systems go for
another project, the Point
Waterfront development,
with the infrastructure
roll-out plan for the project
expected to begin in June.
It includes a promenade
extension from uShaka
Marine World to Vetches
Pier (harbour entrance
channel) to create a
wraparound promenade,
as well as a five-star,
300-key hotel.
Activity-driven resorts
a draw card
INDUSTRY experts agree that new
developments will contribute to growth
in domestic tourism, saying resorts will
play a significant role in attracting local
travellers.
Asked whether events the size of the
Commonwealth Games, which Durban
will host in 2022, would attract South
Africans to KZN, group brand manager
of Premier Hotels, Alan Campbell, said
it might draw those who had visited
the province. However, the advantage
of such events was their benefit on
infrastructure improvements.
Ceo of the City Lodge Hotel Group,
Clifford Ross, agreed, saying: “With
the upgrading of the infrastructure to
accommodate all of this development,
it will certainly help make Durban the
destination of choice for domestic
travel.”
Alan said that with the value of the
rand putting overseas destinations
further out of South African reach,
resorts would have an increased role
to play in the domestic leisure market.
Premier had sites in mind for new
resorts and was notably impressed with
Umhlanga, but “how they would unfold
has yet to be finalised,” he added.
“Resorts in South Africa are an exciting
opportunity, especially the activity-driven
resort which offers a complete holiday.”
Alan said KZN’s beaches are
spectacular but unfortunately tend to
be overshadowed by Cape beaches.
He felt there were excellent ecotourism
opportunities in the province, with great
diversity in plant life.
Premier Hotels’ KZN portfolio
includes hotels in Durban, the Southern
Drakensberg, Richards Bay and Port
Edward. “Occupancies are definitely up
at all hotels and last year was a good
one for us. All hotels are performing
equally well,” said Alan.
City Lodge, too, has witnessed
increases in domestic leisure travel
throughout the province. The group
has properties in the City Lodge and
Road Lodge brands in KZN. Clifford
indicated there is a further development
in the pipeline “but no official
announcements yet.”
Beach holidays are still tops
DURBAN (surpassed by Cape Town)
weighed in as the second most popular
leisure destination in a Facebook survey
conducted by Mango Airlines.
The low cost airline asked members
of its Facebook page, now ranked in
the top 10 of South African social
communities, to share some of their
travel habits.
The survey also spotlighted the South
African preference for beach holidays,
with 46% preferring sun, sea and sand
over the 12% who wanted the hustle
and bustle of city getaways.
According to Hein Kaiser,
spokesperson for the airline, “Durban is
and always has been one of our busiest
stations with several hundred thousand
guests travelling in and out of the city to
Cape Town, Johannesburg and Lanseria
via Mango.”
He felt that domestic airlift to and
from the city was sufficient. “At this time
Durban is very well serviced by Mango
as well as a number of other carriers.
In fact, by traveller volume, Mango is
the largest carrier in and out of King
Shaka International Airport. During peak
times Mango traditionally increases its
schedule to further service demand.
Top tips from the trade
FFERING deals that represent
value for money are the way to sell
KZN, says Candice Perry, Marketing
Campaigns and Brochure coordinator
of Thompsons Holidays. Having a
diverse range of product suitable to
any traveller irrespective of needs, will
also place the travel consultant on a
strong footing.
“We have a high success rate
in booking KZN with Durban and
Umhlanga being the particular
favourites; this comes down to the
affordability and the ever-favourable
climate suitable for year-round travel.”
Outside of the beach resorts,
Candice says hotspots to explore
include the Battlefields Route, Valley
of a Thousand Hills, Kamberg, Giants
Castle, Umtamvuna, Oribi Gorge
and the Garden of Remembrance in
Pietermaritzburg.
