Tourism Indaba 2011 ends on a high note MyZA

The Tourism Indaba 2011 drew to a close on 10 May after four days of intense meetings and activities on the Durban stand.

‘It has been a very successful year for us at Indaba,’ said Head of Business Support, Tourism and Markets Unit, Phillip Sithole.’There was a lot of traffic at our stand and we had good meetings with tourism buyers interested in promoting Durban to overseas holidaymakers as a lifestyle destination.’

A highlight this year was the cooperation agreement reached between the tourism bodies representing the triangle of the big three city destinations in South Africa – Durban, Cape Town and Johannesburg.

Sithole said that all three cities recognise the need to cross promote each other. ‘When overseas visitors come to a destination like South Africa, they will naturally want to go to more than one destination. If each of the three major cities cross promote each other, then we can achieve greater visitor numbers for all of us, and in so doing benefit tourism in South Africa as a whole. This makes sense, and the timing is very appropriate to have concluded this major cooperative alliance.’

‘We are very pleased with the positive reactions to our newly redeveloped beachfront which puts it in line with world class standards. In conjunction with newly completed hotels, the upgrading of our infrastructure, and improved visitor safety, Durban offers the visitor a huge range of experiences, from a relaxed holiday to the thrills of adventure sports. Our product is continually improving.’

German visitors and buyers were treated to a township experience that included a visit to local celebrity venue, Max’s Lifestyle in Umlazi where they were served traditional township fare in the vibey surroundings; a chance to experience another aspect of the cultural mix that makes Durban so unique.

Popular with attendees to Indaba were the complimentary tours around the city that ran daily on the now famous Ricksha open top double decker bus.

‘Overall, this year’s Indaba was a very positive experience. Crime levels in the city were extremely low, and for visitors to the City, it was a safe and rewarding experience. Local restaurants such as those in Florida Road experienced brisk business, and the City pulled out all the stops to ensure the smooth running of the event. From traffic control, to the operation of the taxis, Indaba ran without a hitch. Durbanites can be proud of this event in the City,’ said Sithole.