Page 6 - KZN Business Sense 8.4

TURKISH AIRLINES RETURN TO

DURBAN WARMLY WELCOMED

assengers onboard the factors have achieved the pre- Cllr Mxolisi Kaunda, Mayor
Turkish Airlines flight covid level of 77% year to date. of the City of Durban added:
Pthat landed at King Shaka Turkish Airline’s “Collaboration with our tourism
International Airport were given a Johannesburg-Durban-Istanbul trade partners and other
warm Durban welcome when they Government entities has enabled
stepped into international arrivals return route will boost cargo us to achieve great milestones
on Thursday 16 June. airlift capacity, said Mr Hamish under the most difficult time of
Erskine, Chief Executive Officer COVID-19. The road to recovery
The airline has extended two of of Dube TradePort Special
its Istanbul-Johannesburg flights Economic Zone, and Durban is promising.”
to include Durban on Thursdays Direct Co-Chairperson. “Turkish Airlines have stated
and Saturdays and has plans to “With the gradual reintroduction that Durban remains a strategic
increase these to four weekly of international, regional and market for the airline and
flights later this year, depending domestic air services the Dube country. Prior to COVID-19,
on passenger uptake. Istanbul ranked number
Cargo Terminal has seen a growth seven as a top international
Currently, Emirates flies five of 23 percent in cargo volumes destination for Durban, with
flights a week from Durban over the past 12 months. This is as much as 88% of outbound
directly to Dubai, Qatar Airways a direct result of the increased
flies four direct flights a week, capacity available in passenger domestic passengers originating
with plans to increase this to flights serving King Shaka in Durban. These flights to
Durban will make it easier for
five; and now Turkish Airlines International Airport.” local passengers to visit Istanbul
brings additional capacity with Most foreign countries have and will allow travellers from
the reintroduction of flights into eased restrictions on South our source markets in Europe to
Durban.
African travellers, provided they fly into Durban,” he said.
“The reintroduction of these are fully vaccinated. While, South ACSA Regional General
flights reopens business and Africa’s vaccination rate is lower Manager, Mr Nkosinathi
tourism opportunities between compared to other countries, a
Istanbul and Dubai. This larger proportion of the adult Myataza, said: “Turkish Airlines
underpins the resilience of population – the age group that flights will add much-needed
traffic between Europe and South
KwaZulu-Natal, its people and travels – has been inoculated. Africa, this will help in propelling
leadership to recover from the Phindile Makwakwa, Co- the recovery of both air freight
effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and passenger traveller, a key
and the implications of the recent Chairperson of Durban Direct driver of South Africa’s tourism
destructive flooding have had on and Acting CEO of Tourism
the tourism industry. KwaZulu-Natal, said: “The sector, an economic multiplier for
return of Turkish Airlines is very the country.”
“This achievement, along with important for tourism as Istanbul
the recent direct Airlink flight to offers our destination fantastic “The resumption of Turkish
Harare, Zimbabwe, is indicative connectivity to our tourism source Airlines signifies resilience and
demonstrates efforts of recovery
of the untapped capacity within markets in Europe. Air services and thus rebuilding confidence
our destination for air services, as continue to play a critical role in within the aviation industry. This
well as the behind-the-scenes work ensuring ease of travel for tourists, is important to connecting South
being undertaken by Government thereby growing KwaZulu-Natal’s Africans to people, places, dreams
and its agencies to bring air tourism sector, which in turn
connectivity into KwaZulu-Natal,” grows the tourism economy and and opportunities, and vice-versa
Economic Development, Tourism increases job opportunities within for inbound traffic.”
and Environmental Affairs MEC, the tourism value chain” Turkish Airlines has a route
Mr Ravi Pillay. network connecting 128
Locally a resilient domestic
King Shaka International market has been critical to countries and 329 cities from its
Airport is regarded as the second- the recovery of air travel in hub in Istanbu. 
fastest recovering international South Africa with King Shaka
airport in the country, achieving International Airport passenger W: www.invest.durban
71.9% of its pre-COVID-19 numbers breaching the 72%-mark
passenger throughput in the year to date. Overall, domestic
year to date. By March 2022, travel now contributes more than
international load factors had 74% of the Airport Company
reached 50% of the March 2020 South Africa’s (ACSA) airport
pre-covid level and domestic load network traffic.

RIVER MANAGEMENT PROGRAMME AIDS CLIMATE ADAPTATION

he 7 July 2022 marked the range of river management debris. They are also trained in land ownership and land use ecosystems provide over R4
culmination of a fruitful projects in eThekwini, including business management. conditions to anchor the green billion worth of services to our
Tfour-year partnership the Sihlanzimvelo Community economy, develop the social and City and its residents annually.
between the C40 Finance Facility Stream Cleaning Programme. The TRMP aims to transform economic capital of the City and These waterways are not only
(CFF) and eThekwini Municipality. This programme involves utilising more than 7000 km of the build partnerships. responsible for providing water,
The CFF has been actively community co-operatives for City’s rivers and streams over but they also help regulate the
supporting the Municipality to stream management and in so a period of ten years as part of The programme will provide impact of heavy rains and floods
develop the Transformative River doing builds enterprises and building a climate resilient and a scalable and replicable model if well managed. Therefore,
Management Programme (TRMP) creates jobs. This programme safe city. It has the potential to for how cities across the world putting necessary resources
that will mitigate the impacts of currently has 80 co-operatives employ thousands more people can manage and maintain their in rivers and catchments must
climate change as witnessed in the with approximately 600 people as part of the green economy. waterways while maximising be central to the City’s climate
April floods. The intention is to expand this socio-economic benefits. adaptation response.”
employed who manage 525km of programme and others to a
The TRMP is an adaptation rivers and water ways by removing broad range of river conditions, EThekwini Mayor Mxolisi
programme that builds on a invasive alien plants, litter, and ecological infrastructures, Kaunda said, “Well managed E : Msawakhe.mayisela@durban.gov.za

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