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City Ready to Host Africa’s Travel Indaba
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Date: 2021-10-04 06:18:04

City Ready to Host Africa’s Travel Indaba

ETHEKWINI NEWS FLASH
 
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
 
29 April 2019
 
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE DECISIONS
 
City Ready to Host Africa’s Travel Indaba
 
The City’s state of readiness to host Africa’s Travel Indaba at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre (Durban ICC) and Durban Exhibition Centre from 2 to May was noted at an Executive Committee meeting held today, 29 April.
 
The report noted that Africa’s Travel Indaba is one of the largest tourism marketing events on the African continent which Durban, in collaboration with Tourism KwaZulu-Natal, the Department of Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs and the Durban ICC, put together a successful bid to host the event from 2018 to 2022.
 
Durban is ready to welcome the anticipated 7 000 visitors who will be attending the event including delegations from some of Durban’s key source markets, including the United States of America, China, the United Kingdom, the Middle East, Japan, Korea, India, Australia, Zambia and many others. Furthermore, projections indicate that activities related to the Indaba will generate a direct spend of R40 million and make a gross domestic product contribution of more than R80 million.
 
Key activities for the Indaba were also outlined in the report. They include a Hosted Buyers and Hosted Media Welcoming Function on Wednesday, 1 May which will provide a networking session. Africa’s Travel Indaba Bell Ringing Ceremony will be on 2 May and will be officiated by the National Minister of Tourism Derick Hanekom along with MEC of Economic Development and Environmental Affairs Sihle Zikalala. The official opening of the Durban exhibition stands will be on the same day as will be the Africa Travel Indaba official opening ceremony.
 
The launch of the Durban beaches web portal will be on 3 May as part of showcasing and unveiling the coastal regions of the of the City’s iconic attractions. Also on the line-up are three speed marketing sessions, a mentorship programme focusing on tour operators and activities in line with 25 years if democracy and African success stories.
 
This includes monumental temporary sculptures of former President Nelson Mandela and Inkosi Chief Albert Luthuli being curated and displayed outside the Durban ICC with one sculpture of Mandela being displayed at Gordon Park in Florida Road to promote the node as it is one of the busiest tourism centres within the City.
 
The event will showcase the widest variety of Southern Africa’s best tourism products and attracts international buyers and media from around the world.
 
While concerns were raised at the meeting about the state of the City’s beaches following the recent floods, Chairperson of the Economic Development and Planning Committee Councillor Sipho Kaunda said work was being done to ensure the beaches would be clean with progress being made in that regard.
 
ASSESSMENT OF INFORMAL SETTLEMENTS IN DANGEROUS LOCATIONS TO BE CONDUCTED
 
An assessment of all informal settlements located in dangerous areas including rivers and flood plains will be undertaken following the tabling of a report at an Executive Committee meeting held today, 29 April.
 
The report outlined the urgent need to relocate communities who had erected informal settlements within and in the immediate vicinity of the flammable gas and petroleum pipeline servitudes.
 
The report, first tabled at the Security and Emergency Services Committee which is chaired by Deputy Mayor Fawzia Peer, stated the urgent need to relocate communities in an effort to prevent loss of life should an accident occur involving the pipeline.
 
The report stated that a formal complaint had been received from Sasol and Transnet regarding illegal construction of unauthorised structures, namely informal structures, which were encroaching on pressure methane rich gas pipelines in various areas such as Clairwood and Cato Manor. The report noted that remedial action such as public awareness meetings had been convened by all parties involved.
 
Recommendations from the report included that subject to confirmation of ownership of the land affected, communities residing in the vicinity of the flammable pipeline be relocated and their structures demolished. A second recommendation was that an assessment be undertaken of all informal settlements located in dangerous areas and the communities relocated with immediate effect. Finally, the report recommended that all such settlements be prohibited in the future.
 
ENDS
 
Issued by the eThekwini Municipality’s Acting Head of Communications Mandla Nsele.