Sept 07, 2016: King Shaka International Airport experienced year-on-year growth of 46 per cent in international passenger volumes in July 2016 compared to July 2015, surpassing projections. International passenger numbers for both inbound and outbound travelers rose to 34,753 during the month of July 2016 from 23,855 the previous year.

Hamish Erskine, acting CEO, DubeTradePort Corporation credited the positive response by the KwaZulu-Natal traveler market to the existing and recent new international carriers serving Durban.

“The increased direct air connectivity into Durban has done a lot to stimulate demand from passengers flying internationally. The new direct routes into Durban have given consumers the freedom to fly directly from more destinations around the world, with the new airlines opening access to over 900 global destinations through their strong networks that are now available through hubs in Dubai (Emirates Airlines), Doha (Qatar Airways), Istanbul (Turkish Airlines), and Addis Ababa (Ethiopian airlines),” said Erskine.

The addition of these new long haul flights has had an impact on driving both leisure and business travel, with delegates of major events, such as the recently held World Aids Conference, having the option to fly directly to Durban from anywhere in the world.

These developments are firmly establishing Durban as a strong secondary route into South Africa and as the primary port of entry into KwaZulu-Natal, the province with the second largest economy in South Africa. The latent potential of this large catchment area is starting to demonstrate the ability to achieve sustained passenger and cargo volume growth.

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