Destination Audit - Outbound

Urban Durban

Although South Africa has marked its space in the mind of Indian travellers, Durban, in the province of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, is yet to duplicate this. Reema Sisodia, who glimpsed the city’s vibrancy, feels that it is much more than a 'mini India'

For many Indian travellers, a South African travel itinerary would be limited to Capetown, Garden Route and Sun City. What they normally tend to miss out is the gateway to the province of KwaZulu-Natal and South Africa's third largest city, Durban.

It is more popular amongst the Indian VFR traffic, as Ruhi Daswani, CEO of Lifestyle Holidays puts it, "There is definitely potential in the future for Indian clientele to make Durban a part of their plan. The beach front and the Zulu culture, add an exotic touch to the itinerary. The KwaZulu-Natal tourism board is also working hard to position itself as an attractive destination."

But as a pure tourist destination in the minds of an Indian traveller, Durban is yet to make an entry. Nikhil Dalal, MD of Lifestyle Holidays, says, "Durban is yet to generate demand within the Indian market. People tend to go there more on business. No doubt, the city and the surrounding regions have some exotic experiences to offer, but it would take a while to generate interest among the buyers. The lack of any direct flights from Mumbai into Durban is a hurdle. But one can definitely hope for a better response in future."

Golden Mile

Once among the holiday capitals of South Africa, Durban lies between the sunny beaches of the South Coast and the game parks of Zululand. It is popularly described as South Africa's premier resort as its geographical placement gives it an exotic flavour, especially for beach lovers. Engulfing the warm waters of the Indian Ocean, Durban surrounds Durban Bay, Africa's busiest port and the world's ninth largest.

Durban's beachfront is known locally as the Golden Mile - a stretch of more than four miles - and along this is all the beachgoer could wish for: water activities, elegant dining, gardens and curios markets, paddling pools, amusement centres, promenades, etc. The beaches are protected by shark nets.

My trip to the city in May 2006, though a short one, was long enough to give me a glimpse into the life in Durban. From well kept beaches to exotic markets, malls to night clubs, from botanical gardens, bird sanctuaries and interesting game reserves to exotic luxury lodges, the place is buzzing with activity. It is also home to a state-of-the-art convention centre, which is why it attracts the MICE market from India and other countries.

My evening drive from Durban's domestic airport into the city was a trailer to the city that was to be my home for two days. The neon lights reflected images of a city that was well planned, with traces of its colonial past. The 30-minute drive concluded at the hotel Garden Court Marine Parade, situated right on the Durban beachfront.

Zulu buzz

As part of our plan, we were to experience the Zulu cultural show, which is unique to this region. It is worth taking time out to get a peep into its traditions and folklore, and the cultural performance is enhanced by the backdrop of the Valley of a Thousand Hills - a bountiful union of ethnic earthiness and urban sophistication. The hinterland of KwaZulu-Natal also offers other attractions, the most famous being the Natal Drakensberg mountains that rise to more than 10,000 feet.

There are too many game reserves to choose from - big game, small game - all on more than 30 nature reserves within 10 miles of the city centre. An experience of visiting a game reserve close to Durban is a must on the itinerary. I managed to experience this visual treat of nature at the Itala Private Game Reserve of KwaZulu-Natal, which is situated only 45 minutes from Durban. The reserve is located in a malaria-free area and embraces of 3,000 ha of bushel terrain, which is surrounded by panoramic scenery. The drive in the open air jeep offers the experience of viewing rhinos, hippos, giraffes, zebras, wildebeests at extremely close quarters.

But what matters most to the Indian clientele is shopping! Durban has a plethora of shopping options, from the local markets that sell local exotic flavours to the modern malls. From the Victoria street market to the Gateway Theatre of Shopping, which is one of Africa's largest super regional retail destinations, Durban has it all. Grey Street and the Warwick Triangle boast of vibrant local shops and markets. The flea market right across the street of the hotel I was staying in was breathtaking and the vendors would be ready with their wares as early as seven in the morning, sitting there till ten at night.

South African exotica

For the high-end tourists, Durban has its share of luxury resorts and lodges - the Zimbali Lodge set in the lush subtropical coastal belt. Zimbali Lodge which is Sun International's first boutique hotel has a championship 18-hole golf course.

Lance B Littlefield, country manager (India), South African Tourism a native of Durban, feels over generous with words when asked about his home city. "Durban is a beautiful product and it is time the Indian traveller looked at it more closely. Durban can be easily classified as a value for money luxury destination for the high-end traveller with its exotic luxury resorts as well as for the regular traveller. Once the international airport comes up in Durban (the construction of it starts 2006 end), one can definitely expect to have more tourism into the region," he exclaims, adding, "In any case, a visit to South Africa would be incomplete without trying the special Rooibos tea with its culinary invention bunny chow."