Top tourism figures, says city's mayor

6.8 MILLION VISITORS

- SIPHO JACK

ETHEKWINI Municipality Mayor Cyril Xaba has declared the recently concluded festive season as one of Durban's best in recent years and said about 6.8 million tourists flooded the city between December 1 and January 12, describing the influx as a major boost for local tourism.

In the buildup to the holiday season, the city had projected visitor numbers of just over one million, a figure that was significantly surpassed.

Xaba welcomed the fact that Durban's beaches were open and operational throughout the festive season, public swimming pools were well attended, and most areas of the city had a stable water supply.

He these remarks during an engagement with journalists at the Octavia Boutique Hotel in Inanda yesterday.

Historically regarded as Durban's main tourism drawcard, the city’s coastline proved pivotal once again, with 23 bathing beaches declared safe for swimming a first since 2022.