Durban - Despite South Africa’s struggling economy, December visitors to Durban spent six percent more than the previous year with R3.4-billion changing hands.
Also, shopping malls across the country recorded one of the most successful festive seasons ever. Early reports from retailers nationally show a four percent increase in November sales compared with the same period in 2014.
“This is much higher than expected,” said the chief executive of the South African Council of Shopping Centres, Amanda Stops.
Phillip Sithole, the chief executive of Durban Tourism, said that in December the number of visitors to the city and their spending had shown that tourism was alive and well compared with other sectors in the economy.
He said 1.4 million visitors had come to the city, an eight percent increase on 2014. They had spent about R3.4-billion on holiday- related activities.
“This was one of the best festive seasons we have had,” he said.
Trends
In her announcement on Wednesday, Stops said while trends had shown that holiday buying was left to the very last minute, shops such as Truworths, Woolworths, Massmart, The Foschini Group and Shoprite had all recorded growth in sales for the final months of the year.
“December 23 and 24 were the busiest shopping days at many malls. However, several centres, especially those in seaside cities, showed peak shopping and parking on Friday, December 19.”
Durban hotelier Alan Vels, the provincial chairperson of Fedhasa, said while the hospitality body was due to meet on Thursday to consolidate festive season figures, at first glance, accommodation facilities and restaurants had enjoyed an “exceptional” December.
The Mercury