Southern Sun Hotel Group wins lease for iconic Durban hotel

Southern Sun wins bid

After a rather long tender process, the Southern Sun Hotel Group has officially won the bid for the 50-year lease and redevelopment of Durban’s famed Elangeni & Maharani hotel.

As reported by Travel News, Ethekwini Municipality Mayor, Cyril Xaba, made the announcement on 27 September, revealing that the lease and R1 billion redevelopment project would act as a catalyst for more investment, and the recovery and growth of Durban’s business economy.

“I am very excited because this will spark further investments along the beachfront, adding more value to our city,” Xaba said as per Travel News.

The hotel group’s redevelopment project also includes the refurbishment of the Garden Court South Beach and The Edward hotels, as well as a R5 million allocation towards restoring the Sunken Gardens along Durban’s beach front.

Marcel von Aulock, CEO of Southern Sun, said that the issues in Durban were not too great to overcome.

“It is really just the basics… it’s maintenance, keeping it clean, keeping it safe, enforcing the by-laws, no public drinking… nature has blessed you with the setting – just take care of it.” von Aulock said.

Durban expecting a bumper summer season

The city is also estimating a hotel occupancy rate of 65% from December to February, with 80% expected in December alone.

According to reports, international tourists are expected to account for 7% of visitors, 13% will be from KZN province with the remaining 80% from South Africa’s other provinces.

“We want tourists to discover Durban’s hidden gems, the less explored aspects of our city, from stunning coastal beach resorts to charming local attractions,” eThekwini Municipality Spokesperson Gugu Sisilana said.

“We also want our visitors to know that the city is ready to host them. The safety of residents and visitors remains a top priority as the city gears up for the festive season.” Sisilana added.