KwaZulu-Natal's ambitious plans for direct international flights to enhance tourism

THE KwaZulu-Natal government has announced ambitious plans to attract international visitors to the region, including securing direct flights from key tourism and business destinations in Europe and Asia.

MEC for Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs (Edtea) Musa Zondi said they are working to secure direct flights to Durban from France and the United Kingdom, among other priority destinations.

He made these revelations while tabling his budget for the 2025-2026 financial year. He described the budget as rooted in urgency, guided by policy, and driven by delivery.

According to Zondi, tourism is one of KZN's greatest economic assets, and they are repositioning it not just as a sector but as a strategic pillar of economic recovery and regional development.

“In 2024, the province welcomed 3.2 million domestic visitors and 620,000 international visitors, generating over R2 billion in revenue. This success is not accidental; it is the result of consistent investment in tourism infrastructure, marketing, events, and destination readiness,” he said.

“We are working closely with relevant stakeholders to grow KwaZulu-Natal's air connectivity. King Shaka International Airport remains a strategic asset, and we are pursuing partnerships with global carriers, including efforts to secure a direct route from Air France, as well as exploring new routes to India and the United Kingdom.”

Zondi also mentioned that the department is supporting the repositioning of regional airports to boost domestic access, unlock regional tourism circuits, and stimulating new investment corridors. They have already started work in Margate, Newcastle, and Richards Bay airports.

He said Richards Bay is poised to embark on a new expanded airport in keeping with rapid local industrial developments in the area. The Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi Airport in Ulundi has undergone vital repairs to its terminal facilities, improved safety compliance, and has received an additional R500,000 allocation for firefighting infrastructure and hangar refurbishment.

The Mkhuze Airport, in the heart of northern KZN, is also being developed toward CAT 4 compliance, with plans underway to procure Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting (ARFF) vehicles, said Zondi

The MEC noted that the province has huge potential in the ocean economy and opportunities.

“The department will continue to explore avenues to bolster the ocean economy, as this presents KwaZulu-Natal with another vital and essential area of economic growth and development.

“KwaZulu-Natal has a coastline of more than 600km, which presents this province with more opportunities to develop this hugely untapped economic industrial potential. Working hand-in-hand with various institutions, we hope to harness this huge sleeping giant into a significant contributor to the economy of KwaZulu-Natal in order to expand economic activities and to help reduce poverty and unemployment,” he said.

Hannah Lidgett, DA MPL and KZN spokesperson on Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs, said KZN is rich in all the ingredients that make for a world-class tourist destination: miles of beautiful beaches, rolling valleys and hills, the majestic Drakensberg, and rich cultural heritage.

“We just need to get our tourism strategy right. We know that our natural heritage is unrivalled, and that the success of our tourism economy is directly linked to our ability to maintain and protect our natural heritage,” she said.

Lidgett, who sits on the Economic Development and Tourism Committee in the KZN Legislature, noted that KZN was once the golden goose for tourism. “Today, not only has that goose stopped laying eggs in our province – it has migrated to the Western Cape. One of the main problems is eThekwini’s chronic water pollution. Six major beaches recently registered dangerously high E. coli levels, and Laguna, Doonside, and Winkelspruit beaches were closed before Easter.”

She said Edtea currently has three criminal cases against eThekwini, including those against senior officials, which have been ongoing since January 2022 and remain unresolved.

“This inertia emboldens negligence and environmental mismanagement. The National Prosecuting Agency needs to finalise these criminal cases and hold responsible officials accountable. Edtea must ensure that this comes to a conclusion; otherwise, what is the point of the National Environmental Management Act?” she asked.

Chairperson of the Economic Development and Tourism Committee committee, Mafika Mndebele, expressed support for the budget and the plans presented by the department.

Jeannie Sarno, chairperson for uMhlanga Tourism, said, "Direct flights into a city bring many positive promises. It would be wonderful if the province could arrange more events for the province too. We have to start crossing off many items on the 'to-do list' and make the province an attraction to foreign visitors. It’s no use pushing for international flights if they are empty."

She said municipalities needed to focus on maintenance of roads and other infrastructure while residents needed to take pride in their areas.

"Citizens should be more house-proud and discard their litter accordingly. It all begins somewhere, and the onus is on each individual,” she said.

THE MERCURY