Page 10 - TKZN Annual Report 2023/2024

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER’S REPORT
MR. SIBUSISO GUMBI
ACTING CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
KwaZulu-Natal remains committed to grow the economy, create jobs, reduce poverty and contribute to a better living environment for the people of the province, through a vibrant tourism sector. To achieve this, Tourism KwaZulu-Natal continued to focus on the implementation of its five- year strategy to position KwaZulu-Natal as Africa’s leading tourism destination, nationally and internationally.
We remained focused on growing tourist numbers, improving the geographic spread of our leisure and business visitors and striving for greater inclusivity and transformation within the tourism sector by supporting black- owned tourism enterprises.
Tourism is a critical driver of economic growth in KwaZulu-Natal, contributing R25bn during the 2023/2024 financial year and employing an estimated 173 748 people directly and many more indirectly.
The year under review had its challenges induced mostly by the country’s economic climate, damage to municipal infrastructure leading to ongoing beach closures in Durban and water shortages on the South Coast and the related negative publicity.
As expected Covid-19 pandemic induced pent-up demand for travel fizzled out. This coupled with an increase in the cost of living, fuel and interest rates impacted households’ disposable income and therefore their scope to travel.
Research insights, during the year, showed that households in our key source markets traveled within their own province or to their closest neighbouring province, while KZN citizens chose to travel their province less. This internal decline in travel unfortunately impacted the total decline in domestic trips which registered 6,2 million with a total spend of over R19,1 billion at the close of the financial year.
While domestic tourism declined, it is pleasing to note that international visitors to KZN during 2023 rose to 659 278 and are expected to continue to rise in the forthcoming year, reaching an estimated 800 000 thus surpassing 2019 arrivals of 797 830. The spend of international tourists in KZN during 2023 the year was R6, billion.
Over the 25-year span of Tourism KZN, we pursued our endeavours in raising brand awareness and selling Destination KZN across the world influential trade shows in our key European source markets and in other countries that hold substantial tourism potential for the province. Through these platforms we have directly engaged with major travel trade and tourism buyers including hosting them to experience the province first-hand.
The entity’s innovative and successful in-country training of tour operators and travel agents was re-instated during the year. This more hands-on approach aims to encourage major travel operators to include KZN in their South African itineraries.
Emphasis was also placed on domestic tourism marketing which included, consumer shows in key source markets, digital marketing and collaboration with tourism businesses to promote cost effective travel packages.
The entity also hosted a successful Africa’s Travel lndaba (ATI) 2023, Africa’s largest tourism trade show which offers the continent access to over a thousand global tourism buyers. Over
8 TOURISM KWAZULU-NATAL ANNUAL REPORT 2023/2024