Durban Keeps Winning Awards

 

By Fred Felton | September 26, 2021

The City of Durban has won a wide variety of awards in the last decade. In this month of September which is Tourism and Heritage Month we take a closer look at these awards.

Environmental Awards

Bronze Beach, Umhlanga | Image: Fred Felton 

Durban has some of the most pristine beaches in KwaZulu-Natal and the City has won a variety of awards including 2012 Winner for ‘’SA’s Greenest City Award’’, 2013 and 2014 ‘’Arbor City Award’’ and 1^st African 100 Resilient Cities Partner (Rockerfeller Foundation).

Tourism Awards

Umhlanga Pier rated best globally by CNN | Image: Fiona Wainwright

Durban was rated in ‘’Top 10 Oceanfront Cities’’ globally in 2015 by National Geographic.

CNN voted Durban as one of the ‘’Top 10 most underrated cities’’ and they recently voted ‘’Umhlanga Pier’’ as the best globally and they voted the City ‘’Coolest City in SA’’.

Durban is predicted to be one of the fastest growing tourism cities in Africa and could be one of the fastest growing tourism city’s worldwide, as predicted by the Master Card Global Destination City Index.

The City was rated by the New York Times as number 7 of their Top 52 Places to Go in 2015.

Transport Awards

The People Mover. One of the cheapest forms of transport in the City. | Image: Fred Felton

Durban was rated as #1 in South Africa on the ‘’Top 10 Cheapest Countries for Transport’’ in the 2014 GoEuro.com Report. This was for train, bus and air transportation.

SKYTRAX ranked King Shaka International Airport as the Best Airport Staff in Africa for 2017 and 2^nd best airport in Africa by ACI, handling circa 5 million passengers.

Heritage Awards

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) named Durban the UNESCO City of Literature and it is the first African City to receive this prestigious status.

‘’We recognise the important role that our rich and diverse cultural heritage has in helping build our nation. There is no doubt that our history and heritage present an opportunity for growing tourism thereby boosting the economy,’’ said Councillor Mxolisi Kaunda, eThekwini Municipality Mayor.

Investment Awards

Durban was included in the ‘’7 Emerging Luxury Housing Markets To Watch in 2015’’ by Christies International Real Estate Group.

The City recently bagged the ‘’CNN Money/International Investor’’ Award for ‘’Best FDI City in Africa’’ in 2020.

Durban is the ‘’Most Affordable of all SA Metro Cities to live in’’ according to the 2021 ‘’Numbeo and Expatism’’ Cost of Living indices.

The City has also been nominated for ‘’Best FDI Destination South Africa’’ in 2021 for the Bloomberg Decision Maker Business Awards 2021.

‘’Let us work together with all stakeholders to boost our campaigns to market Durban and ensure that we also target the continental tourists. Durban boasts world-class malls, hotels and excellent culinary tourism experience that can match any city in the world,’’ noted eThekwini Municipality Mayor, Councillor Mxolisi Kaunda.

The City of Durban recently launched the 2021 ‘’My City, My Heritage’’ campaign and it calls on all citizens of Durban to highlight and celebrate the rich cultural heritage that makes Durban a melting pot of diverse cultures.

Thanks to these many awards Durban is ready to host world-class events in a safe and secure environment.

My City, My Heritage campaign to boost tourism

 

To revive the City's tourism sector, eThekwini Municipality on 10 September launched the My City, My Heritage campaign at uShaka Marine World. The campaign looks at travel and tourism in a new way, reminding visitors how culturally diverse the City is by showcasing its hidden gems. The campaign was launched by eThekwini Mayor Councillor Mxolisi Kaunda during Tourism and Heritage Month. Industry stakeholders lauded the initiative calling it an innovative marketing tool to aid the recovering tourism sector which has been adversely affected by Covid-19 and th recent civil unrest. Mayor Kaunda said: ''Through this campaign we are going to unearth and showcase Durban's hidden gems to promote domestic tourism. This will be achieved through several roadshows, digital activations and competitions encouraging people to rediscover Durban through heritage tourism.'' He said the campaign will take South Africa on a digital historical journey of Durban, to rediscover the City through media campaigns. Mayor Kaunda said there has already been an increase in visitors to the City. They are projecting increased visitor numbers during the heritage public holiday long weekend from 23 to 26 September and the October school holidays from 1 to 10 October. ''For the September long weekend, we are anticipating 60 percent visitor occupancy which equates to 75 000 visitors, a direct spend of R103 million, injection of R256 million to the GDP and 550 jobs being created. For the October school holidays we are forecasting a 55 percent visitor occupancy which translates to 90 000 visitors including day visitors, R192 million direct spend and R476 million contribution to the GDP. Around 1 020 jobs will be created,'' he said. Chief Executive Officer of uShaka Marine World Ndabo Khoza said: ''We are prepared to work with the City as stakeholders to ensure Durban is a destination of choice. As a coastal city, it is imperative to showcase and educate people about marine life. We encourage residents to be visitors and explore their own City.'' 

Community tourism boosts economy, history and pride

The month of September is known as Tourism and Heritage month. What better way to celebrate both than with exploring the history, heritage and fun in rural and township settings. We encourage you to take pride in your history and heritage by visiting a tourism office near you. EThekwini Municipality's strategy to revive the tourism sector in townships through funding the Durban's nine Community Tourism Organisations has yielded positive results. The municipality has aided Community Tourism Organisations (CTOs) in the municipal area through many programmes and as a result, beneficiaries are showing signs of growth in their establishments. This is despite the adverse effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, which has affected many businesses, particularly small, medium and miro enterprises. The Municipality, through its Economic Recovery plan has assisted several tourism establishments to get back on their feet during the lockdown and to be ready for business. Some of the relief measures included additional rates rebates - specific to the accommodation sector, assistance with marketing initiatives, support for online/virtual events and prioritising bed and breakfast establishments for Municipal business. Furthermore, the Municipality recently increased funding by 100 percent to CTO's from R250 000 to R500 000 to market local areas and create new tourism packages. At a recent Durban Tourism Imbizo eThekwini Mayor Councillor Mxolisi Kaunda said: ''Government is going to invest more resources in this sector by increasing support to industry players and establishing new tourism corridors in rural and township communities.'' ''The fact that 68 percent of our geographic space is constituted by rural areas, eThekwini has an important task of ensuring that the economic opportunities available in the tourism sector reach these communities.'' Commenting on the role of the CTO in the growth of her business, Lungi Ngcobo - founder of Clermont Lodge - said the support they have received from the Clermont CTO has been amazing. She said her establishment recently received R50 000 in Covid-19 relief funding from the national Tourism Depatment which was facilitated by the local CTO. UMlazi CTO's Public Relations Officer Portia Mkhize said uMlazi has a lot to offer regarding tourism attractions, with shisanyamas being just a small part of the product. ''We are currently developing different tour routes packages for uMlazi, Ngonyameni, Lamontville and surrounding areas showcasing the history of these townships, including bicycle and quad biking guided tours,'' she said. Mkhize said the current focus was ensuring that these are developed for domestic travel first before getting ready for international tourists. 

Limited Launch Gifts With Samsung Galaxy Z Series 5G

 

Samsung recently launched their new Galaxy Z series with the Galaxy Z Fold3 5G and Galaxy Z Flip3 5G and now you can get them with some extra-special launch gifts.

                                                                                          
                                    

                                               

Pre-order now to receive limited launch gifts

When you pre-order or purchase during the September to 20 October 2021 promotional period¹, you will receive an exclusive offer, that includes the new Galaxy Buds2, the must-have Galaxy Smart Tag and the peace of mind of Samsung Care+, all valued at R5 200². The free one-year Samsung Care+ plan will provide one accidental screen and/ or back cover repair, and will include a battery replacement. You can upgrade to the Samsung Care+ Premium plan at an affordable cost, for additional cover, which includes liquid, motherboard and external casing damage.

 

Select your new favourite foldable

Galaxy Z Fold3

Built for those who need the ultimate device to power their productivity and maximise every moment. Galaxy Z Fold3 5G combines power, efficiency and immersive viewing so you can check off your to-do list faster and have more time for next-gen gaming, content viewing and video calling. With a screen size that allows you to run up to three apps at once, it’s the ultimate productivity tool for modern multi-taskers. For the first time ever on a foldable, Samsung has added S Pen support⁴, so that you can jot down reminders directly on its immersive, large screen or join an online video call on your top half of screen and take notes with your S Pen on the bottom half, by just clicking the screen twice. 

When you’re enjoying some me-time, you can easily immerse yourself in your favourite show or sports game, undisrupted, thanks to the 7.6-inch Main Screen and Under display camera. From productivity to performance to portable entertainment on the go, the Galaxy Z Fold3 is the ultimate powerhouse device.

 

Galaxy Z Flip3 5G

For those who need a device that’s as stylish as they are, the Galaxy Z Flip 3 empowers you to express yourself with bold colour options, a sleek, compact rectangular design that  fits effortlessly in your pocket, and trendy new accessories. Unfold and snap a stunning selfie with the  Galaxy Z Flip3’s camera features including Flex mode and its unique ability to stand upright, with a  symmetrical and balanced design, that opens up to an angle that best fits your vision. Then add to your social feed, which scrolls smoother than ever with a 120Hz adaptive refresh rate. Enjoy easier ways to pay, play, and check your notifications fast on its larger cover screen, without ever flipping open your phone. 

Choosing the Galaxy Z Flip3 means getting more of what you crave, your way, whatever you’re doing, whether the device is open or closed. Galaxy Z Flip3 is more than a folding phone, it’s a statement. 

Whether you flip or fold, both new Galaxy Z devices offer our most durable, connected, and expansive foldable experiences ever. Building on a legacy of impeccable craftsmanship, they are equipped with water-resistance⁵, Corning® Gorilla® Glass Victus™, Armor Aluminium, an optimised panel layer, and an improved protective film.

Click here for more information about the Galaxy Z Fold3 and the Galaxy Z Flip3.

 

¹Terms and conditions apply. The promotion period depends on retailer.

For Vodacom customers the Promotion Period will end 6th October 2021.

For MTN customers Promotion Period will end 30th September 2021.

For Cell C customers Promotion period will end 17th October 2021.

For Telkom customers Promotion period will end 20th October 2021.

For Takealot customers Promotion period will end 30th September 2021.

²Users that pre-order the Galaxy Z Fold3 or Z Flip3 will get a year of Samsung Care+ protection.

Samsung Care+ for Z Fold3 and Z Flip3 requires a free registration within 30 days from the phone’s purchase date through Samsung Members or the Samsung care plus page . A R 999 repair fee will be charged per incident for the Samsung Care+ protection on the Z Fold3 | Z Flip3. Protection coverage and availability may vary by market. Full information on Samsung Care+ is available at https://www.samsung.com/za/offer/samsung-care-plus/

³Price may vary by retailer

⁴S Pen sold separately. Only Z Fold3 Main Screen has S Pen capability. Compatible only with the S Pen Fold Edition and S Pen Pro. All other S Pens or stylus pens not designed for Z Fold3 (including those by other manufacturers) may damage the screen.

⁵Rated as IPX8. Based on test conditions for submersion in up to 1.5 meter of freshwater for up to 30 minutes..