EThekwini Municipality has welcomed commendation from the Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry following the successful hosting of this year’s winter tourism season.
The business community recently praised the city’s leadership, under the stewardship of eThekwini Mayor Cyril Xaba and his team, for successfully hosting a series of world-class sporting, entertainment and tourism events that attracted thousands of visitors to Durban and delivered significant economic benefits.
In a recent statement, the Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry said Durban once again demonstrated its ability to host major events that attract visitors, stimulate economic activity and strengthen the city’s reputation as a premier tourism destination.
The chamber highlighted flagship events, including the Comrades Marathon, the Hollywoodbets Durban July and the GAS Motor Show, noting that they showcased Durban’s renowned hospitality while generating significant value for businesses across the hospitality, tourism, retail, transport, entertainment and services sectors.
President of the Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry Asheen Magjee praised the city’s leadership and all stakeholders involved in delivering the successful events.
“These events once again demonstrated Durban’s ability to deliver world-class experiences. We commend the city’s leadership for ensuring a safe, clean and welcoming environment for visitors, and we thank the event organisers, sponsors and partners whose continued investment in these iconic events contributes significantly to the growth of our city and provincial economy,” said Magjee.
Xaba welcomed the chamber’s recognition, describing it as a strong vote of confidence in Durban’s ability to host major events and drive economic growth through tourism.
“We appreciate the Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s recognition of the city’s efforts in delivering a successful winter tourism season. This acknowledgement reinforces the importance of strong partnerships in growing Durban’s economy, creating employment opportunities and positioning eThekwini as a premier destination for tourism, investment and major events. We remain committed to working with all stakeholders to build a safe, clean and vibrant city that benefits residents, visitors and the business community alike,” said Mayor Xaba.
The Hollywoodbets Durban July attracted about 45 000 visitors, generated approximately R254 million (US$15.5) in direct expenditure, contributed around R880 million (US$53.8) to the local economy and supported an estimated 1 270 jobs through its supply chain.
The Comrades Marathon welcomed approximately 21 600 participants and 65 000 spectators while the GAS Motor Show attracted around 30 000 visitors over two days.
Collectively, these events reinforced Durban’s position as one of South Africa’s leading destinations for world-class sporting, entertainment and lifestyle events.
The chamber further recognised the collaborative efforts of eThekwini Municipality, law enforcement agencies, tourism authorities, event organisers, sponsors, volunteers and the private sector in ensuring the success of the winter events.
It noted that the season demonstrated the value of strong partnerships between government and business in driving tourism, investment, economic growth and job creation.
The municipality remains committed to building on this momentum by continuing to invest in destination marketing, improving service delivery, enhancing public safety and cleanliness, maintaining infrastructure and attracting more major events and conferences to Durban.
The positive recognition from organised business reflects growing confidence in Durban’s recovery and competitiveness and underscores the city’s continued commitment to positioning eThekwini as Africa’s premier tourism, events and investment destination.
