SINDI NDIMA
ETHEKWINI: Bekuqhibuka izihlathi ebhulakufesini ebelihlelwe yiTKZN nomasipala waseThekwini kwi-Africa Tourism Indaba 2023. Isizathu salenjabulo bekungukuthi izithelo zokubambisana kwizinxa zikahulumeni, ezamabhizinisi kanye ezokuvakasha ziqale ukuthela izithelo. Kube nezingxoxo ebezikhuluma ngamasu okubuyisela izimakethe zamazwe ngamazwe.
IMeya yeTheku, uMnu. Mxolisi Kaunda ukhulume ngokuthi ngo-2021 ezokuvakasha zifake u-R3,3 billion kwi-GDP yeDolobha, zaphinde zadala amathuba emsebenzi angu-6722 okube yimisebenzi engaphezu kuka-2000 ngonyaka odlule. Lokhu umkhandlu WaseThekwini uqinisekise ukuthi izinzuzo zezokuvakasha azishiyi muntu ngaphandle okubalwa abasemadolobheni, emalokishini nabasemakhaya imbala. Ekugcineni kwenkulumo yakhe uKaunda uqinisekise izithunywa ukuthi iTheku liphephile futhi kungakuhle bangahambi bengasimamisanga umnotho ngokuthenga.
Ezingxoxweni ezibekhona uMphathi Jikelele we Dube TradePort uMnu. Hamish Erskine uthe ukuhamba kwezindiza e-King Shaka International Airport kubonakale kunyukela ku-73% nokuyinto enhle kakhulu uma uqhathanisa nonyaka ka 2019 obuku 70% kuphela. Manje abagibeli abacishe babe yizigidi eziyisithupha, lokhu kusho ubengcono kunayo Yonke iminyaka. Umzila we Airlink Durban – Harare ukhule ngo-150% kusukela yethulwa ngonyaka odlule. Uphinde wabalula ukubaluleka kokuthula izindiza, umzila nezimakethe ngesikhathi esifanele kwazise ukuthi yonke inkampani yezindiza emhlabeni isembhidlangweni yokuzitakula.
Umyalezo wesiKhulu se MSC Africa Cruises uMnu. Ross Volk uthe bazofaka omunye u-R30 million eDurban Cruise Terminal futhi bazosebenzisa osonkontileka bakuleli baphinde bandise nokuthenga kwabo kubahlinzeki bezinsiza bakuleli baphinde balethe ne-cruise liner yabo yakamuva nenkulu kunazo zonke i-MSC Splendida ukuthi ihambe ngendlela yaseNingizimu Afrika. Omunye umbiko uvele ku Nkk. Bunny Bhoola USihlalo weSahluko se-SATSA e-KZN ukhulume ngezinhlelo ezahlukene zokweseka osomabhizinisi abancane bendawo kanye nokusebenzisana nezinhlangano kulo lonke izwekazi lase-Afrika.
Ibamba leSikhulu Esiphezulu seTourism KZN uMnu. Nhlanhla Khumalo liveze ukuthi isisekelo sale mpumelelo engaka sabekwa eminyakeni emithathu edlule, emva kwezibhelu zokuzitapela lapho uhulumeni nemikhakha ehlukene ezamabhizinisi beza namasu okuvuselela umnotho nezokuvakasha Ethekwini namaphethelo. Uqhube wathi “Sisebenze ngokubambisana sinxusa abantu baseNingizimu Afrika kanye nosomnotho bakuleli ukuthi bahlole i-KZN eguqukile futhi enamathuba empumelelo.” Okunye abubalulile kukwenyuka kwezivakashi kwelikaMthaniya kunesikhathi sangaphambi kokuba umhlaba uhlaselwe uKhuvethe.
Ibhulakufesi ibe isivalwa ngokunxenxwa kwezithunywa ukuba zizinike ithuba lokuvakashela izindawo ezahlukahlukene eThekwini nakulolonke leli laKwaZulu Natali ukuze uzoqina kakhulu umnotho.