Fringed with palm trees, meandering walkways and warm waves, Durban has always been synonymous with family holidays and long, lazy days spent soaking up the sunshine. But dynamic Durban is much more than a leisure destination and ‘a pretty face’; this gem of a city has many facets, each radiating its own unique brilliance. This past year has seen Durban shine on many fronts, with the city being awarded accolades in several arenas.
On the literary front, Durban has been recognised as a UNESCO World City of Literature (2018) – a first not only for South Africa, but for the African continent. Home to festivals like Poetry Africa and Time of the Writer, the city’s literary scene continues to nurture new talent and nourish seasoned literature lovers. The Articulate Africa Book Fair, which formed part of the Essence Festival, is a much-anticipated new addition (edition) to our already impressive library of events.
Having also established a reputation of excellence as a business destination, the 24th annual World Travel Awards gave Durban the prestigious title of Africa’s Leading Meetings & Conference Destination 2017. The World Travel Awards also recognised local stakeholders in this arena: the Durban International Convention Centre scooped up the title of Africa’s Leading Meetings & Conference Centre 2017 and Hilton Durban was chosen as South Africa’s Leading Business Hotel 2017.
Condé Nast Traveller listed the Moses Mabhida Stadium as one of South Africa’s 20 most beautiful places to visit. The Stadium’s architecture is magnificent in scale and design, making it a popular subject for photographers from around the globe. Its iconic centre arch – Africa’s very own Arc de Triomphe, was inspired by the ‘Y’ shape of the South African flag, and houses a Skycar that offers exhilarating and panoramic views of the city and Indian Ocean.
As you can see, Durban is much more than a popular holiday destination. If you love the energy and diversity of our city, you may even consider investing in property here. For the third consecutive year, Durban has been rated as the South African city with the highest quality of life in the international Mercer’s 19th Quality of Living Survey. The same survey, on a global scale, ranked Durban as second, after Port Louis in Mauritius.
Durban Tourism recently launched an exciting new campaign! To learn more, please read our feature entitled ‘Discover Durban’.
Whether you are visiting Durban for business or leisure (or looking to move here in future), we wish to welcome you to share in our melting pot of culture, heritage, natural beauty and world-class facilities.
Galia Hillhouse
Editor
