According to Chairman of the Durban Chamber of Commerce Tourism Committee and Southern Sun Elangeni General Manager Mike Jackson, thousands of people visited Durban's beachfront and it was totally incident free for guests staying at the Group's hotels.

"Business representatives, the hospitality industry, City Councillors and other stakeholders can be really proud of Durban as this shows that it is a safe destination to visit and great family holiday vacation" he said.

Said Phillip Sithole Head of Durban Tourism "This augers very well for the city of Durban. It is largely thanks to the efforts of all the agencies in the City who came together to make it a successful holiday season and we would also like to thank businesses for opening their doors and making our up country visitors feel welcome". The Point Waterfront also had its share of visitors. Thousands turned out to enjoy uShaka Marine World and the delicious food offered by restaurants in the area.

Regional Commander for Central Durban Metro Police Steve Edwards said that he was not aware of any incidents at all. "The No Alcohol Zone from Blue Lagoon to uShaka has proven extremely effective. All vehicles were checked entering the zone and any alcohol was confiscated but it could be claimed on the way out. We had numerous positive comments from runners and cyclists on how clean the areas were - no broken glass left behind by drunken revellers. We also had the 24 hour alcohol centre situated at Boston Terrace with 40 dedicated members attending to issues as well as the many roadblocks sponsored by SAB who promote responsible drinking behaviour".

"The season seems to be continuing with extra visitors coming for Freedom Day and others booking rooms for Workers' Day and this is a real bonus for Durban. "We could not have asked for more perfect weather and we had a very high occupancy in our hotels. By the end of the long week-end some 600 000 visitors had driven through the tolls and they enjoyed all that Durban had to offer and no crime. Durbanites did their share and the reward has been a wonderful Easter" concluded Mike Jackson.

ENDS

JULIA UNGER
+27 82 452 4427 (SA Mobile)
julia@indelible.co.za