The KwaZulu-Natal Tourism and Film Authority led by the MEC for Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs (Edtea), Reverend Musa Zondi, launched its Tourism Month celebrations under the national theme of “Tourism and Peace: 30 Years of Connecting People and Places and Cultures.”
Zondi said the provincial entity would use this period to reaffirm the unique tourism offerings of KwaZulu-Natal – what makes the destination unique and special for those looking for something exciting.
Statistics released by provincial authorities show a steady increase in the number of domestic tourists post Covid-19 from 305 018 visitors in 2022 to 364 160 in 2023, Zondi said.
Furthermore, he said, in Q1 in 2023, the number of domestic tourists to KZN was 969 765, while in the first quarter of 2024 this had increased to 1181173.
The department of Edtea has joined forces with several other entities –including the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture, KZN Amafa, the Zululand District Municipality and schools in the area – to support and host celebrations that will tell everyone about Zululand, the heart of the Zulu Kingdom, Zulu heritage and rural tourism.
“It is critical that we promote the geographic spread and position the Zululand District as a ‘must-visit’ destination for visitors,” Zondi said.
The KZN Tourism and Film Authority is working on producing a world-class Reed Dance documentary that will mark the 40-year anniversary of the iconic Reed Dance.
A film crew will spend three days capturing footage and the documentary will be produced next year.
This past weekend the authority also welcomed a group of 300 visitors from Soweto to Zululand as part of its Township to Township exchange.
Some of the tourism and heritage projects in the pipeline are:
- A R34 billion investment that has been earmarked for tourism infrastructure projects in seven different areas.
- The support of 30 tourism enterprises to enhance their businesses to enable them to have greater participation in the sector.
- The upskilling and training of 150 tourist guides across various categories, such as nature, adventure and culture, to the tune of R33 million.
- R12 million allocated towards projects such as the Drakensberg Cable Car, beach development, the KwaXolo caves, the Highover Game Reserve, Thokazi Lodge, St Lucia and Howick Falls.
- R7.35 million that will go towards tourism sector development and the promotion of the province’s diverse, cultural and natural attractions.
Zondi also announced that the King Shaka statue would be unveiled at the King Shaka International Airport during the 2024/25 financial year.
The province continues to make history, having recently been awarded two new World Heritage Sites, adding yet another chapter to the region’s heritage landscape.
The sites are the iSibhudu Cave (an ancient rock shelter in a sandstone cliff) in KwaDukuza, which shows evidence of some of the earliest human innovations; and Ohlange in Inanda (one of 14 components of the Nelson Mandela Legacy Sites), where Nelson Mandela cast his vote in the first democratic elections.
Dr Sibusiso Ndebele, the newly-appointed board chairperson of KZN Tourism and Film Authority, expressed his gratitude to Zondi for his “unwavering commitment to our province and the importance of the tourism sector in the overall economic development of KZN and the country”.
Regarding the recent Unesco recognition, Ndebele added the work completed by Amafa was “truly remarkable”. He said that the entity would be collaborating closely with it to guarantee that the World Heritage Sites were celebrated worldwide as global tourism symbols.
The Mercury