New Nelson Mandela Cruise Terminal in Durban will expand home market in SA

The new Nelson Mandela Cruise Terminal in Durban will boost the domestic cruise market in South Africa, while also enhancing the country’s appeal as a fly-cruise destination, according to the Tourism Grading Council of South Africa (TGCSA).

TGCSA expressed excitement at the potential the Nelson Mandela Cruise Terminal presents South Africa’s cruise tourism sector following the inauguration of the terminal by President Cyril Ramaphosa in Durban.

TGCSA Chief quality assurance officer Bronwen Auret said cruising in South Africa has a lot of growth potential, in terms of both the cruising home market, and international tourists. 

“At the moment, South Africa is said to have less than 1% of the global share of cruising and as such, South Africans generally don’t have a culture of cruising,” she told the Sunday Tribune. 

“This presents a great opportunity for SA Tourism and all tourism stakeholders to not only showcase the exceptional value for money matched with a variety of experiences on board, but it also allows us to work closely with provinces and products on the ground to bring forward our breathtaking hidden gems in and around the coastal cities for cruise passengers to enjoy,” she added. 

The Nelson Mandela MSC Cruise Terminal was launched in Durban ahead of the 2023/24 South African cruise season, which runs from November to March annually. 

MSC Cruises has homeported a cruise ship in Durban for the winter season every year since the 1990s, and despite robust growth in the local cruise tourism sector, it remains the only cruise line to homeport in Durban during the season.

It is hoped that the launch of the Nelson Mandela Cruise Terminal might change that. Prior to the development of the cruise terminal, MSC Cruises, and other cruise lines calling in Durban, used the N-Shed berth, a converted warehouse ill-suited to the needs of the modern cruise industry. 

Speaking at the launch event for the cruise terminal, President Ramaphosa highlighted that the global cruise tourism market is worth an estimated US $174 billion, and that Durban was perfect placed as a destination for cruise ships, alongside Cape Town.

“Port cruise terminals provide a multi-modal connectivity to the region and the rest of the world, thus contributing to the growth of the tourism industry,” Ramaphosa said at the inauguration. 

He added that as more cruise liners visit Durban, more tourists will inevitably come. 

“As part of their homeport itineraries, passengers visit local attractions, shop and spend, and more money is injected into the local economy,” he said. “As a result, more jobs are created for South Africans and more local businesses supported, especially small businesses.” 

Cape Town is South Africa’s primary cruise port for international cruise lines either calling in the country or homeporting during the annual winter cruise season. 

However, the city has seen massive growth in cruise tourism numbers following the redevelopment of the Cape Town Cruise Terminal, providing a possible indication of the benefits the new Nelson Mandela Cruise Terminal will give Durban.

MSC Cruises South Africa managing director Ross Volk said that the cruise line is fully committed to supporting growth in the country’s tourism industry.

He added that the cruise line was also determined to create employment opportunities and that this will have a positive economic impact on the nation as a whole.