Durban lesson for Zim tourism

Prince Mushawevato recently in DURBAN, South Africa

BEFORE tourism products attract droves of tourists, destinations must undoubtedly work hard.

The sweet success that manifest in hundreds and by year end thousands of shorts-wearing backpackers and merry-making visitors with pockets that seem to have no end is born from drowning sweat.

It is through deliberate and proper planning that a favourable result can be guaranteed in the tourism industry. With enough thought, simple leisure events that take place throughout the year can easily be turned into high revenue generating proceedings.

The success of the recently held Vodacom Durban July at the Greyville Racecourse, South Africa is a clear testimony.

Having attended the event one cannot help but feel that Zimbabwe should revamp its destination marketing strategies to match prevailing regional and global trends.

Zimbabwe plays host to a number of annual leisure activities like Tour de Tuli, Donnybrook Car Rally, the OK Grand challenge and Castle Tankard horse race, which can with proper marketing and structuring be easily shaped into mega international shindigs like the majestic Vodacom Durban July horse race competition that runs under the Durban Fun Season Campaign.

The Fun Season campaign runs from April to July. It offers packages, specials, events and information on all the city has to offer. Sadly, that has not been done here.

Officials in the lively Down South province aka eThekwini note that it has been through rigorous marketing strategies that various leisure events have been transformed to have an international appeal.

Durban July has become Africa’s biggest horse racing event. Power King, ridden by veteran jockey Stuart Randolph, swept to victory in this year’s edition of the Vodacom Durban title race.

Experts opine the event will boost KwaZulu-Natal’s local economy by over 440 million rand, most of which flows from local and international visitors who drive and fly into Durban. The revenue is generated from transport, accommodation, tickets, entertainment, restaurants and clothing for the event.

Interestingly, Zimbabwe is among the countries that have helped boost arrivals for the South African province yet we are failing to emulate their development patterns. At present organisers of the Harare International Carnival (HIC) are not even sure that the annual event will be hosted successfully this year.

The issue of funding is proving to be the major setback.

However, Durban Tourism Authority head Phillip Sithole said it was his wish that neighbouring countries in the region cash in on the growth of the events being run under their Fun Season campaign.

This, he said, could be done but focusing on unique events like the aforesaid and promoting their growth through aggressive marketing both in the region and outside the continent.

And events like the Durban July provide a perfect platform.

Already, Zimbabwe’s fastest growing station, Star FM is now in its third year broadcasting from South Africa under the “Connecting Africa” banner – an initiative geared towards promoting tourism and culture.

Connecting Africa is held every year and is organised by Durban Tourism Authority, South African Airways and Dube Trade Port.

“We should package our products in such a way that a tourist that visits us also gets to enjoy the Zimbabwean experience and other countries in the region,” said Sithole.

“Zimbabwe is one of our key source markets within the continent so is Swaziland, Mozambique and other countries in the SADC region. Also in terms of airlines there is a link from Zimbabwe to King Shaka International Airport here in Durban.”

Sithole added that growth would be guaranteed by the inclusion and co- operation of various players (public and private) in hosting of the events. The Durban Municipality, Durban Tourism and private sector has come in to support various events that promote the destination.

There were over 25 party marquees belonging to different companies erected on the different sites of the racecourse, offering different choices of fun for revellers.

Hence, the organisers of events like HIC, the Castle Tankard horse race and Tour de Tuli should aim at expanding their events by having supporting events before, during and after the main day of the proceedings. Events like the recently launched hair and fashion shows can just like in the case of the Durban July run concurrently with above mentioned events to increase the scope of activity and add value to the major event.

While betting enthusiasts had their eyes on the horses, many were focused on the fashion shows hosted by the Durban Fashion Fair. Thus, the celebrity fashion, rather than the horses appeared to attract the most attention.

Celebrities, minister’s and the who-is-who of the South Africa’s upper echelon descended on the lush racecourse. The theme for the fashion highlights was “The Captain’s Table”.

The shows were held in preparation of the fashion festival taking place next month. Afterwards, a number of parties are held around the city. Also, there are parties that are held it the township but the turnout was just as magnificent. Again, the parties though being hosted in the same area are separated along sponsorship lines. Thus different artistes perform at the events and revellers get to choose the one that suit their taste while the adventurous ones with deep pockets and energy sample everything on offer.

“This is an event that started small but has grown over years. And it is funded by the private sector. However, as local government we come in with infrastructural support and also provide metro police to make sure the event is safe. We also provide support that is around marketing since we want to use the event to take Durban to the world,” explained Sithole.

According to the Durban Tourism official, the event used to attract less than 10 000 people in the past. But the figure has since swelled to more than 50 000 people at the Durban July racecourse only in the past three years.

But the number is estimated to be bigger for the overall event since people come for the pre-parties and after parties that start from Thursday up to Sunday, with Saturday being the main day.

Moreover, the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) needs to come up with a city tour programme for visiting tourists. It is prudent that visitors understand the history of the country.

The Durban City tour highlights the history and significance of structures in the town. With visits to places like uShaka Marine World, Inanda township, Ohlange High School (where the late ANC founding father John Langalibalele Dube’s statue and grave together with that of his close family relatives are housed) and Umzinyathi Falls proving popular.

The tour helps foster visitor’s interest in the destination.

Meanwhile, Sithole criticised the xenophobic attacks that took place in that part of the country. He noted that such developments had adverse effects to the tourism industry.

“The unfortunate incidences that took place during the xenophobic attacks in a way affected the perception of Durban very much but we have worked hard to make sure that we project Durban as a destination of choice.

“I’m so excited that xenophobic attacks have come to an end. There were not good because this is not how we live here. There are people who are from Ghana, DRC who have been here for more than 30 years and it was so unfortunate. Also I’m happy that we have held this event without an incident of xenophobic attacks. It should not have happened and should never happen again,” he said.