Awards Categories

Visitor Experience

For attractions, experiences, or service teams that deliver standout visitor satisfaction and “wow” moments in Durban—whether cultural, entertainment, leisure, shopping, or lifestyle-based. Entries should show excellent customer service, consistency, positive reviews/feedback, and a distinctive Durban experience visitors remember and recommend.

Enter

Tour Operators

For businesses that design, package, and run tours, activities, and travel experiences (day tours, excursions, shuttles, adventure experiences, and more). Entries should show reliability, compliance, customer care, strong logistics, and a clear contribution to Durban’s tourism economy.

Enter

Tour Guides

This category celebrates individual guides who lead visitors through Durban’s stories, culture, nature, and heritage—on foot, by vehicle, or through niche experiences (food, history, adventure, etc.). Entries should reflect professionalism, knowledge, visitor safety, great storytelling, and memorable, well-managed tours.

Enter

Meetings, Events & Special Events (MESE)

For venues and service providers that plan, host, or support conferences, meetings, exhibitions, weddings, festivals, and corporate events in Durban. Entries should show professional delivery, excellent coordination, guest experience, and the ability to attract and manage audiences safely and successfully.

Enter

Accommodation

This category recognises businesses that provide overnight stays for visitors to Durban—such as hotels, B&Bs, guesthouses, lodges, serviced apartments, and backpackers. Entries should demonstrate quality service, cleanliness, safety, consistent guest satisfaction, and a strong sense of Durban hospitality.

Enter

Film-Makers Award

This category highlights emerging film makers creating work that showcases Durban, tells local stories, or contributes to the city’s creative tourism and cultural economy. Entries should demonstrate originality, production effort, storytelling, and potential for growth—especially where the work positively reflects Durban as a destination.

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Emerging Entrepreneurs

This category recognises new or early-stage tourism entrepreneurs building promising businesses in Durban—such as new experiences, services, accommodations, or creative tourism products. Entries should demonstrate innovation, traction, resilience, customer value, and a clear plan for growth and job creation.

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Green Tourism

For tourism businesses and initiatives that actively reduce environmental impact and promote responsible tourism—through waste reduction, energy efficiency, water saving, recycling, conservation, ethical sourcing, or community upliftment. Entries should show real practices (not just claims) and measurable steps toward sustainability.

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Event Owners & Promoters

For individuals or organisations that create, own, or promote events that draw people to Durban—such as concerts, festivals, sports events, cultural showcases, and lifestyle experiences. Entries should show strong marketing, audience growth, safe and successful event delivery, and positive impact on Durban’s visitor economy.

Enter

Rickshaw Pullers

This category celebrates Durban’s iconic rickshaw pullers who provide visitor rides and cultural photo moments, especially along key tourism routes. Entries should demonstrate professionalism, visitor care and safety, cultural pride, respectful engagement, and consistent service that enhances Durban’s destination appeal.

Enter

Crafters

For makers and craft businesses producing locally made goods—such as beadwork, textiles, woodwork, art, fashion accessories, homeware, and souvenirs. Entries should demonstrate originality, quality, cultural authenticity, fair trading practices, and products that help visitors take a meaningful piece of Durban home.

Enter