Miffed about the praise heaped on Durban’s beachfront and the healthier occupancy rates of hotels along the Golden Mile, Umhlanga is hitting back by unveiling its own upgraded beachfront and claiming that it is “bursting at the seams”.
Umhlanga is re-asserting itself as the prime holiday hot spot with a revamped R70 million promenade, the pick of the crop in accommodation and thousands of tourists armed with plenty cash.
While central Durban’s beaches have come under the spotlight for their upgrades, much has been quietly brewing in upmarket Umhlanga, just 10 minutes from the Durban city centre, and it is ready to show off its assets this festive season.
Peter Rose, head of Umhlanga Tourism, has warned that if holidaymakers haven’t yet booked a room, it may well be too late.
He said the area was “bursting at the seams” for this festive season. And it comes at an appropriate time.
About 25 000 official UN delegates, in the province for the climate change talks to be hosted in Durban from November 28 to December 9, together with the matric rage parties to be held around the same time in the town, plus the traditional up-country domestic tourists, will all add to the mix of thousands in the area.
“By the time December comes, we will be in supreme shape,” said Rose, adding that the beach remained the main drawcard.
“When people call through for accommodation, the first thing they ask is how close will they be to the beach,” he said.
And Umhlanga has plenty to offer with their beaches.
Rose said the promenade had been under construction in recent months and would be completed by the time the crowds descend.
The 2.8km promenade stretches from the Breakers Resort in the north to Durban View Road in the south, with the paving similar to that at the Durban central beachfront.
However, unlike the Durban promenade, which is roughly about 15m wide, the Umhlanga promenade is about 5m wide.
Wheels are not allowed, except for prams. However, running, jogging and walking were all becoming increasing popular along the stretch.
“Already foreign people come to the tourism offices and say this is one of the best promenades they have seen – our promenade looks stunning,” Rose said.
After massive waves destroyed parts of the coast in March 2007, the municipality repaired the promenade from the Breakers Resort area down to the lighthouse. The promenade from the lighthouse down to Durban View Road area will be completed in time for the festive season.
Roads such as Lagoon Drive and the roads leading from the Ruth First Freeway into central Umhlanga have also been upgraded and more construction work is expected over the next year and a half.
To curb the rate of accidents along Lagoon Drive, a number of speed-calming measures such as speed bumps and traffic circles have been put in place to ease the traffic along the scenic route.
At the intersection of Lagoon Drive and Durban View Road, a traffic circle has been created.
“There are also pedestrian tables, which are like brick speed bumps with a flat top to allow people to walk across, for increased safety,” said Rose.
At Durban View Park, which is one of the key access points to the beach, several changes have been implemented.
The toilet and shower facilities have been upgraded, the park has been refenced and re-laid with new bricks and the car park area has been doubled.
“It was too small, but the council has spent a substantial amount of money on it,” said Rose.
One of the other factors, said Rose, was that people felt safe in the area.
“We have a beachfront urban improvement precinct project that keeps the beach clean and safe,” said Rose.
And that helps as, many of the facilities are within walking distance of each other, such as accommodation, restaurants, beaches and shopping centres.
On the accommodation front, Rose said hotels and guesthouses ranging from two- to five-star, such as the Oyster Box Hotel and the Beverly Hills Hotel, were available.
“We have a range of rooms,” said Rose.
With the addition of COP17, there is much anticipation that it would add to one of the best festive seasons ever, he said.
“Every hotel and guesthouse will be upwards of 90 percent full from the 24th of this month,” said Rose.
And coinciding with COP17 are the matric rage parties.
“We have many nightclubs and there is even a concert at Gateway Wavehouse which is a sell-out,” said Rose.
To ensure that everything runs smoothly, all logistics are in place for safety and security.
Heinz de Boer, councillor for the area, said COP17 was a “big thing” for Umhlanga.
“It is one of the areas where there’ll be a large contingent of delegates and possibly heads of state,” said De Boer, adding that the metro police had identified the area as a priority zone.
SAPS and the National Intelligence Agency have all been engaged on the logistics.
De Boer said the municipality had spent between R65m and R70m on the new promenade. “It has always been a popular area for tourists, and this is why the municipality is investing so much in the area,” said de Boer.
He said the area was traditionally one of the biggest income generators: “We bring in a significant amount of foreign money.” - The Independent on Saturday