4 August 2009
Durban has been listed as one of the top 10 family beach holiday cities in the world by travel publishing heavyweight Lonely Planet.
The South African east coast city shares the prestigious list with the likes of Kauai in Hawaii, Cottlesloe in Australia, Karon Beach in Thailand, Portugal’s Tavira, Mexico’s Sayulita and Bali’s Sanur in the latest edition of Lonely Planet’s “Travel with Children”.
The new book, which hit US bookstores last week, is the fifth in the popular series first published in 1985.
“Durban resembles a gigantic resort holiday paradise, raised for the sole purpose of entertaining families,” the Lonely Planet publication says of the city in its section on South Africa. “Lined with safe beaches watched over by lifeguards, the Golden Mile is great for swimming, snorkelling and water sports.”
Durban Tourism’s Perry Moodley was delighted with the news. “After our multimillion-rand beachfront upgrade is completed next year, and after the 2010 Fifa World Cup, Durban will have cemented its place as one of the top beach and sports destinations in the world.
South African Tourism marketing boss Roshene Singh said the country, in particular the city of Durban and province of KwaZulu-Natal, was still a relatively undiscovered year-round beach holiday destination in world terms, “and being featured in this prestigious travel publication will help get the message out there.
“South Africans have already long discovered Durban as a wonderful and safe family beach holiday destination,” Singh said. “Being featured amongst one of Lonely Planet’s top 10 list will now help international tourists to discover our country’s domestic holiday hotspot.”
Tourism KwaZulu-Natal CEO Ndabo Khoza said Lonely Planet’s listing “speaks volumes for what a great year-round beach paradise we have along KwaZulu-Natal’s coast, that we sometimes take for granted.
“The World Cup is around the corner,” Khoza said, “and this is valuable free marketing of the city for international people to discover our great balmy winter weather.
“We will be the hottest place during the 2010 World Cup.”
This article was first published in The Mercury. Republished here with kind permission.
