A group of Bluff Whaling Tour guests at one of the Old Whaling Station sites.
Durban - Sodurba Tourism Organisation hosts its sixth annual Welcoming of the Whales festival from June 23 to 25 at The Old Whaling Station on the Bluff from 8am to 4pm.
The event will take place along Foreshore Drive between Anstey's and Brighton beaches.
Sodurba Tourism Association chairperson Helga du Preez said a number of activities have been planned for visitors and tourists, including educational programmes for children, arts and craft market, food stalls, beach games and a cocktail evening.
“Durban has had a long history with whales. The programme is also set to celebrate the recovery of the humpback whale population. There is now a shift towards supporting conservation practices and celebrating their recovery so we are looking forward to promoting responsible and sustainable tourism for all Sodurba stakeholders and community,” said Du Preez.
Educational stands that will be part of the programme include Grosvenor Library, Sodurba Tourism, Centre for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife, Green Corridors, Litter4Tokens, Litterboom Projects, MACE Lab, National Sea Rescue Institute, SAAMBR, Sail Africa, Seasearch, Sharks Board, Wessa, Wild Oceans, Greenpeace, EKNW and Adopt a River.
The Old Whaling Station on the Bluff was one of the largest whaling stations in the southern hemisphere and was used from 1907 to 1975. South Africa banned all whaling in 1979.
The Independent on Saturday