As KwaZulu-Natal prepares to host throngs of revellers during the Easter break, more attention will be focused on the province’s south coast region.
While Durban has dominated the tourism industry with many visitors frequenting its warm beaches over the years and enjoying the night life, the south coast is now proving to be a destination of choice for international and domestic holidaymakers.
The Uvukile Gospel Event, which is celebrating a decade serenading music lovers, is one of key events that has brought life to the often laid-back Ugu district.
Uvukile is a Zulu word meaning resurrection.
The Ugu district houses small other councils including uMzumbe, uMdoni, Ray Nkonyeni, and uMuziwabantu, which are predominantly rural municipalities.
Irvin Sihlophe, the brains behind the Uvukile Gospel Event, told Sunday World that the idea is to ensure that the south coast competes with bigger towns in the tourism and entertainment space.
“Our message is clear, we want the south coast to overtake Durban in the tourism space,” said Sihlophe. “We are bringing entertainment to the people in the process of creating business opportunities to locals.
“The festival has showed that event tourism is the future for this region.”
The day-long festival, which will be held on April 9, will feature performances by some of the country’s best gospel musicians.
The south coast, also known as Hibiscus coast, boasts world-class golf courses, pristine beaches and adrenalin-filled adventures. The region is also home to six beaches with blue-flag status.
Noma Nkandi, a local tourism operator, said rural tourism has been on the rise post the Covid-19 pandemic and has created both temporary and permanent jobs for locals.
“The tourism industry, especially accommodation, catering services and events brings the much-needed income for small tourism operators,” said Nkandi.
“[The] Easter holidays and the festive season are often busy periods for us.”
Meanwhile, a research study by Tourism KZN on preliminary hotel and non-hotel booking percentages and historical data shows that about 512 000 domestic visitors and 49 000 international visitors are expected to visit the province, bringing a combined tourism spend of more than a billion rands.
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