The eThekwini economy has taken a hit of some R34bn, and lost over 300 000 jobs, in the two months since the Level 3 lockdown was declared.
These numbers were disclosed by senior municipal official Roshni Mehta at a workshop on the conference industry.
The numbers were based on a comparison with the same period last year.
Around 6 346 businesses had closed down. She said that of this number, 1 052 were in the manufacturing sector, 1 734 in wholesale and retail trade, and 714 were catering, accommodation and entertainment businesses.
The decline in tourism could cost South Africa some R204bn in direct spend, she said.
Mehta said that domestic tourism was projected to make a recovery over the December/January season, with foreign tourism taking off again from or around May.
To assist the industry, she added that the City was charging B&Bs and guest houses normal residential rates, and that Durban Tourism was seeking national help for the industry. Its emphasis would be on small establishments. Beaches were being upgraded as a means of achieving Blue Flag accreditation.
A concerted effort would be made to attract younger tourists visiting South Africa to ‘connect and heal.’