Residents react as Durban ranks among world’s best travel destinations

THE City of Durban was recently named as one of the world’s top destinations by Time Out Worldwide.

Durban secured 14th place, ahead of Saint Helena Island (15th) and Barra dos Remédios (16th), in the ‘The Best Places to Travel in 2026’ by the global media and hospitality brand.

Tourist numbers would also suggest the City is on the rise with close to 1.2 million visitors flocking to Durban’s shores during last year’s festive season.

Durbanites are fiercely proud of the City we call home and we at Caxton Local Media spoke to some residents to get their take on the global ranking.

Are we a top destination? What makes Durban special?

Noleen Hendra: “Durban is wonderful. The people are so friendly, we have divine beaches and I think we have the best weather. There’s so much to do here. Durban is definitely a tourist destination and our beaches are a fantastic drawcard.

Pascal Tostee: “I do think we deserve this accolade. In my opinion I think we should be higher,. A lot of people will say Cape Town is a top destination but I tend to disagree because Durban is awesome. The people are friendly, everyone greets you. Durban is also an awesome surfing destination.”

Fikani Ngiba: “Everything is great about Durban. The ocean, the wonderful city, the beaches are great. Our beachfront is safe, the police are always patrolling. It is also very affordable for international visitors. Durban is a great city.”

Jaime Bowen: “The people is what makes Durban great. We are a vibe. Yes we do have attractions here but it is more about the atmosphere, the local connections you make. I work at the skate park on the Durban beachfront and in only a few months I’ve met people from all over the world.”

Divine Lucas: “Durban has mad potential. Right now, we are hella. With a few changes here and there to improve our City it could benefit us. We have great restaurants, crazy views and nice aesthetics. That is what makes Durban great.”

When the news was announced a little over a week ago, eThekwini Mayor Cyril Xaba, said the recognition affirms the city’s status as a premier tourism, leisure and entertainment destination.

“As a city, we are pleased to receive this global recognition. This is a clear indication that Durban’s tourism sector is firmly on an upward trajectory as we work towards fully surpassing pre-Covid-19 growth levels,” said Xaba.

While the people we spoke to were largely positive about Durban, comments on social media varied between pointing out the service delivery issues and saying the City had the potential.