About Durban
Durban, Cosmopolitan hub of commerce and culture
Subtropical in climate and cosmopolitan in character, Durban is the vibrant major city of KwaZulu-Natal, the garden province of South Africa. One of the region’s best kept tourism secrets, Durban is fast gaining international renown. Named as one of CNN’s most underrated cities, a finalist in the 2014 New 7 Wonders Cities, showcased in the National Geographic Channel’s “World Smart Cities: Durban” and host to more and more international events such as the 2014 MTV Africa Music Awards; the city is known as the events capital of South Africa, hosting a variety of high profile sporting events, shows and festivals, as well as global business conventions. Durban is a city on the rise.
A delightful cocktail of Zulu, Asian and Western culture, this extraordinary city has a rich and colourful history, with the buzz of a modern and vibrant metropolis. The biggest city in the province of KwaZulu-Natal, it is known as the friendliest city in South Africa, thanks to the great warmth of its people. The region’s climate, along with the glorious golden beaches that disappear into the Indian Ocean, make the city a popular holiday destination.
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“World Routes 2015 will position our flagship development, southern Africa’s premier air logistics platform and the home of the continent’s first purpose built aerotropolis, the Dube Trade Port, which incorporates the King Shaka International Airport for a major growth in air services. The KwaZulu-Natal province has participated in past World Routes events and based on our analysis we have seen how air services have improved in airports that have hosted these events.”
Michael Mabuyakhulu
Provincial Minister for Economic Development and Tourism, KwaZulu-Natal
The city is home to Africa’s best managed, busiest port and is also an important centre for trade and industry, and a premier international business investment destination. The city’s coastal location, sea port, trade port and superb road, rail and air links via King Shaka International Airport, provide a strong advantage over many other centres in the country and ensure that this is region the second largest contributor to GDP in South Africa.