Durban Fridays to blossom

2014/04/02 DURBAN.Mr Akash Singh. PICTURE: SIYANDA MAYEZA

2014/04/02 DURBAN.Mr Akash Singh. PICTURE: SIYANDA MAYEZA

Published Apr 7, 2014

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Durban - Durban could soon be rolling out a “Floral Friday”, campaign where people, particularly those in the hospitality industry, sport flowery shirts and blouses to welcome tourists to the city.

It will be a similar initiative to the Football Fridays that South Africans backed in the build-up to the 2010 World Cup.

The idea for Floral Fridays was punted at the launch of the Durban Fun Season, a public-private partnership initiative, offering visitors packages, specials and a host of events and attractions.

The Durban Fun Season campaign, started three years ago by the Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s Tourism Committee, is supported by the industry and backed by Durban Tourism, the city’s marketing body.

This year it has been extended and will run from this month to the end of July.

eThekwini Speaker, Logie Naidoo, suggested at the launch that with the city’s warm winter weather, Durban has what it takes to become a “truly tropical paradise”.

Urging representatives of the hospitality industry, gathered in the Maharani Hotel, to “put on our floral shirts and welcome the visitors”, he said Durban could become another Hawaii.

“Imagine checking into your hotel and being greeted at reception by friendly people in floral shirts,” he said.

And yes, Naidoo – long known as the city’s most famous fashionista – did have just the right shirt himself, he said.

“I wore it on a sea cruise and chilled on the deck.”

Akash Singh, president of the Durban Chamber, took up the idea, suggesting Floral Friday.

“Let’s make this a reality,” he said. “I think it would be best during this four-month Durban Fun Season if we can get it going. People should get in touch with the chamber if they are interested.”

Mike Dowsley, chairman of the chamber’s tourism committee, has challenged the industry to back the plan.

“This could create a big vibe, but it has to be effectively executed. Often the challenge in the private sector is to get people to work together. But it’s a great idea.”

Philip Sithole, head of Durban Tourism, reminded guests that when it came to marketing the city, the organisation was now treating Gauteng as it would a country, rather than a province.

“It is our key source market and we will be having more activations there,” he said.

Durban will be aggressively marketed and “a lot of money” will be spent on a Durban Fun Season billboard campaign.

There will also be cinema, radio and television advertisements.

The city’s National Geographic international marketing campaign, which had reached 490 million people around the world, would continue.

Sithole hoped that when the next phase of the campaign started, the industry would offer holiday packages. “This is a call to action,” he said.

The Durban Fun Season has gone live online promoting Durban as the “scene where the sun sizzles all year long and the fun goes on”. - Daily News

See www.durbanfunseason. co.za for all the information.

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