KZN hotels to get cash injection for providing quarantine sites

Several hotels in KwaZulu-Natal are set to get financial relief from the department of health for their properties being used as official Covid-19 quarantine sites.

In a statement on Sunday, Tourism KZN said these hotels had displayed “a spirit of humanity” in offering the use of their spaces.

“There will be financial relief in the form of cheques from the department of health for operators of several Durban hotels who have displayed a spirit of humanity in allowing their establishments to be used as official quarantine sites," it said.

Among these are the Umhlanga Sands and Cabana Beach resorts in Umhlanga, as well as the Palace All-Suite, the Royal Hotel, Coastlands on Dr Pixley Kaseme Street, the Mackaya Bella Guesthouse, the Onomo Hotel and the Wentworth Hotel in Durban.

The Tourism KZN board said the province’s tourism market, which took a hit because of Covid-19, was on the road to recovery.

“KZN hotels, holiday resorts, casinos and restaurants have embraced a can-do attitude in the face of the adversity wreaked by the Covid-19 pandemic. More than anything else, the recovery of tourism in KZN is helping to dispel the air of gloominess and is putting back smiles on the dials of travel and entertainment fans,” it said.

Meanwhile, they also applauded Tsogo Sun for acquiring one of Durban’s most historic hotels, the Edward Hotel, along with two others previously owned by the Marriott Group after it closed down.

At the end of June, employees protested outside the hotel in a last-ditch attempt to try and save their jobs after they were given liquidation letters.

Tsogo Sun Hotels CEO Marcel Von Aulock told TimesLIVE that they would need to wait for the liquidation process to be complete to see if they could accommodate the Edward's staff.

"The liquidation process by Marriott needs to run its course. Once we know when the hotel will open and what the structures are, we would try and accommodate the current Edward and other Tsogo Sun Hotel employees first before any external recruitment," he said.

Tourism KZN said holiday resorts had started preparing for tourists to return to their establishments, with some lockdown regulations being eased.

“KZN resort owners said they expect to see a rise in summer 'staycations' this year, as cautious holidaymakers turn their backs on foreign trips and look closer to home for post-lockdown retreats.”