Durban - Drakensburg tourism businesses have bucked the trend of booking cancellations and plummeting occupancy rates following the partial closure of beaches and parks over the festive season, a survey has shown.
KwaZulu-Natal premier Sihle Zikalala said the province expected a 62% decline in overall tourism arrivals from 6.2 million trips last year to 2.3 million trips this year.
“The estimated spend will be R3.6 billion compared with R8 billion in 2019,” Zikalala said.
He added that the province expected to receive between 600 000 and 750 000 domestic tourism visitors during the festive season in December 2020 and January 2021, compared with 815 000 arrivals in the previous period.
Zikalala said research conducted following the announcement of new restrictions, including the closure of beaches on certain days, had revealed that 59% of 144 tourism accommodation establishments surveyed reported that they had received booking cancellations. However, he added that the closure of beaches and public parks was not the only reason for the cancellations.
He said some cancellations were due to “anti-travel” anxieties due to the increase in Covid-19 cases, while others had contracted the virus and could no longer travel.
The survey said eThekwini was projected to experience a 25% reduction in occupancy from 70% to 55%, while Ilembe is projected to see a 20% reduction from 100% to 80%.
Occupancy was expected to be 80% in Ugu, between 45% and 50% in uMgungundlovu and Amajuba; 100% in uMkhanyakude District and 45% in Zululand.
“Drakensberg establishments in uThukela have reported 100% occupancy from this week until January 5. It has moved from 80% occupancy. The Berg has been receiving more late bookings than normal. This indicates that those who had initially wanted to visit the coast have changed to inland,” Zikalala said.
Federated Hospitality Association of South Africa KZN chairperson Brett Tungay said Drakensberg resorts were busy over the festive season, but interest in camping and caravanning was “weaker” than usual.
“It is a mixed bag but generally all the accommodation will be doing the same if not better than last year,” he said.
The Mercury