Durban sees festive season tourism boom despite beach closures

EThekwini mayor Cyril Xaba says the city is buzzing with holiday makers with a significant number of visitors already in Durban ahead of Christmas and New Year’s Eve.

Speaking during a media briefing on Monday, Xaba said that on Reconciliation Day, December 16, an estimated 201,000 visitors enjoyed the beachfront, making it the busiest day in recent history. Despite these unprecedented crowds, no major incidents were reported. However four Durban Central beaches had to be closed last week due to high E.coli levels. Three reopened at the weekend while Laguna Beach at Blue Lagoon remains closed.

Providing stats Xaba said from December 1 to 21:

• Approximately 873,000 people visited the beaches.
• Approximately 490,152 visitors came to the city
• Over 200 children who were separated from their guardians were safely reunited

“The festive season is showing a clear and measurable uplift in tourism activity across Durban. Strong attendance at signature events, increased accommodation occupancy, expanded tour operations, cruise passenger arrivals, and high beachfront usage all point to sustained festive demand,” he said.

Xaba said hotel occupancy currently stands at 70%, with a direct visitor spend of R1.8 billion and an estimated contribution of over R6 billion to the City’s GDP.

He added that signature events in Durban are also drawing strong crowds with total recorded attendance at 11 signature events currently standing at 83,000, with a projected additional 61,000 attendees expected between late December and early January.

“On 31 December, the City will host the New Year’s Eve Fireworks Activation at the Durban Beach Promenade, North Beach Pier, and New Pier.This large-scale fireworks display will activate the beachfront at midnight, attract significant crowds, stimulate night-time economic activity, and deliver a memorable countdown experience for residents and visitors alike.

“On 2 January, the City will host the Durban Festive Season Carnival, starting at the corner of Joseph Nduli Street and West Street, proceeding along West Street, and concluding at City Hall, Church Square. The carnival will feature performances by popular artists and cultural groups.”

On traffic and law enforcement, Xaba noted that several multidisciplinary operations have been conducted, resulting in 209 arrests for offences including drinking and driving, possession of drugs, public drinking, possession of unlicensed firearms, housebreaking, and robbery.

In addition, 290 suspects with outstanding warrants were apprehended during roadblocks, and 366 warrants, valued at R267,000, were settled.

Addressing the issue of the beaches, Xaba said that for the first time since the 2022 floods, 22 of the city's 23 bathing beaches are open and safe for swimming.

“Only Laguna Beach remains temporarily closed as a precautionary measure while our teams address infrastructure issues that may cause contamination. We want to assure all bathers that the City is fully transparent regarding beach water quality testing. Where contamination is suspected, beaches are immediately closed to protect public safety. Under normal circumstances, water quality testing is conducted every two weeks. However, during the festive season, we have increased testing to weekly intervals to ensure maximum safety.

“Beach water quality results are published on the City’s website, shared on social media platforms, issued through media statements, and displayed at all bathing beaches. The City has committed over R1 billion in capital investment towards repairing and upgrading water and sanitation infrastructure, particularly wastewater treatment works and pump stations,” he said.