KZN gears up for R13bn festive tourism boom

KWAZULU-Natal is ready to welcome festive season holidaymakers, offering a vibrant and secure environment for visitors.

- ZAMANDOSI CELE

MIRIAM Lekoba, Puseletso Khanyane, Tshepiso Khanyane, Poloko Khanyane, Omolemo Khanyane, Rorisang Khanyane and Omohau Khanyane are pictured taking a break from the road at Estcourt Shell Ultra City on the N3.

(Supplied)

This assurance comes from the KwaZulu-Natal Tourism and Film Authority (KZNTFA), which recently launched a multidisciplinary safety activation campaign at Estcourt Ultra City on the N3 in the Uthukela District.

The N3 serves as a crucial gateway to KZN, connecting the Free State and Gauteng to Durban, a popular holiday destination.

As the province gears up for an influx of travellers, the campaign is part of KZN's broader festive season programme, which anticipates between 1 and 1.1 million domestic trips and 34,000 international arrivals in December alone, contributing an estimated R13 billion to the tourism sector.

According to Pinky Radebe, head of PR & Communications at KZNTFA, additional provincial travel indicators support this optimistic outlook.

"Research shows that December and January are South Africa's peak travel months, with KwaZulu-Natal consistently capturing a significant share of this movement. Predictions indicate that between January and June 2026, the province will record 4.3 million domestic trips and 387,155 international arrivals, contributing a combined R13.4 billion in visitor spend."