Renowned as one of South Africa’s top tourism destinations, Durban has delivered excellence for both holiday and business travel, with golden beaches, a year-round warm climate, a wide range of entertainment options and conference facilities, a diverse and vibrant culture, and world-class accommodation.

In honour of Tourism month and Heritage Day in September, Tsogo Sun is commemorating its growing investment in the city’s tourism offering over the last five decades.

Tsogo Sun currently has 9 hotels from Umhlanga in the north to uShaka Marine World in the south, as well as the area’s leading entertainment destination, Suncoast. The group’s 9 hotels together offer 1,958 rooms, 13 restaurants, 8 bars and other facilities and amenities.

For decades, when South Africans think of holidays, Durban is the top of mind city – and Tsogo Sun’s hotels have continued to tick all the boxes for ideal accommodation, the best ocean views, the finest restaurants, and the easiest access to the city’s beautiful beaches.

Tsogo Sun’s Durban heritage began with the opening of the Beverly Hills in Umhlanga by Sol Kerzner in 1964. From this, Southern Sun was born in 1969, and in 1971 the group’s first new hotel was built, The Elangeni, on the Durban beachfront, which was followed by the iconic 5-star Maharani. In 1981 Umhlanga Sands Hotel was bought and the Southern Sun Timeshare concept was launched, which subsequently included Cabana Beach Resort.

Garden Court Marine Parade opened in 1985 with a distinctively art deco feel, and then Garden Court South Beach, previously Malibu Hotel, joined the family. In 2002 the group invested a further R1.4 billion into the Golden Mile with Suncoast Casino, Hotels & Entertainment, adding 2 hotels (Suncoast Towers and SunSquare Suncoast) and an array of entertainment, retail, gaming, fast-food and restaurant options.

The ninth hotel, Garden Court Umhlanga, opened in 2010, and in 2013, Tsogo Sun transformed two of its beachfront hotels into the massive 734-room Southern Sun Elangeni & Maharani hotel.

Tsogo Sun’s latest investment in Durban is a complete redevelopment of Suncoast at a cost of R1,6 billion, which will be fully completed by end 2018 and includes an additional 8,000 square metres of space, a newly located Salon Privé with sea views, eight new restaurants, retail outlets, casino space, parking, a Barnyard Theatre, and a multi-purpose event venue for up to 2,000 people.