Durban needs a new operation jumpstart to protect its global tourism and conferencing position

DURBAN'S tourism and the business event sector faces a significant setback following the severing of ties between the Hilton Durban and the Hilton international group.

For decades, the Hilton brand represented stability, prestige and logistical certainty for global conference organisers, multinational corporations, heads of state, and international delegations visiting our city.

Its proximity to the Durban International Convention Centre (ICC) made it an indispensable component of Durban’s business tourism ecosystem.

The implications of this development extend far beyond the loss of a hotel flag. It directly affects Durban’s competitiveness in the global Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) market.

The strategic role of the Hilton and the ICC

The Durban ICC and the five-star Hilton Hotel were never accidental developments. They were products of strategic foresight under the ambitious Operation Jumpstart initiative of the early 1990s. Operation Jumpstart emerged around 1990 and became particularly active between 1992 and 1998. It was conceived during a critical period of political transition and economic uncertainty.

In 1990/1991, leaders from business, civic organisations and political structures began structured dialogue to reposition Durban’s economy after years of instability. By 1992, this coalition formally established Operation Jumpstart to craft a shared development vision for the city.

The initiative was driven by three core imperatives:

• Economic revitalisation after political unrest: Durban needed to reverse stagnation and restore investor confidence.
• Consensus-building across sectors: business, government and emerging political leadership had to align around a long-term development strategy.
• Targeted strategic urban development: the city required catalytic infrastructure projects capable of stimulating employment, foreign investment and tourism.

One of the most significant outcomes of this vision was the development of the Durban ICC. 

The ICC: a catalyst for global positioning

Constructed on the site of the former Old Fort Prison, the ICC broke ground in November 1994 and officially opened on August 8, 1997. It was conceived not merely as a building, but as an economic engine.

The ICC repositioned Durban as a global conference destination. Crucially, its success depended on complementary infrastructure – including world-class five-star accommodation within walking distance. The Hilton Durban fulfilled that role. Together, the ICC and Hilton enabled Durban to attract and successfully host major international events, including:

World Conference Against Racism (UN WCAR / Durban I)

August 31 – September 8, 2001

Approximately 18 000+ delegates

XIII International Aids Conference (2000)

July 9 – 14, 2000

Approximately 12 000 delegates.

XXI International AIDS Conference (2016)

July 18 – 22, 2016

Approximately 18 000 delegates.

17th UN Climate Change Conference (COP17 / CMP7)

November 28 – December, 2011

Approximately 15 000 to 20 000 participants.

World Economic Forum on Africa (2017)

May 3 – 5, 2017

Approximately 1 000 high-level delegates from over 100 countries.

ITU Telecom World 2018

Approximately 8 000 delegates.

Africa’s Travel Indaba (annual flagship event)

Approximately 10 000 participants in peak years.

United Cities and Local Governments Congress (2019)

Approximately 3 000 delegates.

Durban also hosted the 5th BRICS Summit (2013), the 2010 Fifa World Cup preliminary draw, and major international sporting and diplomatic events. The logistical, security and accommodation requirements for such gatherings are exacting. In many cases, world leaders and senior executives were based at the Hilton due to its security configuration and immediate adjacency to the ICC. The Hilton was not simply a hotel; it was a strategic asset.

The broader Operation Jumpstart vision

Operation Jumpstart’s legacy extended beyond the ICC and Hilton. It laid the groundwork for:

• Inner-city regeneration initiatives.
• The Point Waterfront development.
• The uShaka Marine World precinct.
• Public-private growth coalitions focused on land use, enterprise development and infrastructure.

The ambition at the time was bold: to stimulate sustained economic growth (targeting up to 8% annually) and generate large-scale employment in a city confronting structural unemployment. Perhaps more importantly, Operation Jumpstart shifted Durban from fragmented planning to co-ordinated strategy. It demonstrated that collaboration between public and private sectors could produce transformational infrastructure and long-term investor confidence.

The current challenge

The loss of the Hilton brand sends a signal – and perception in global market matters. International event organisers assess destinations based on a matrix of criteria:

• Venue capacity and technical capability.
• Proximity of five-star accommodation.
• Security infrastructure.
• Air connectivity.
• Safety and urban management.
• Public-private co-ordination.

Durban still possesses a world-class ICC. However, the absence of a flagship five-star hotel brand within immediate proximity weakens our competitive proposition. In the Mice industry, perception can determine whether a city makes the shortlist.

Durban needs another Operation Jumpstart

This moment calls for more than short-term fixes. It calls for strategic renewal. Durban requires a new Operation Jumpstart – adapted to contemporary realities, but grounded in the same principles:

• Strategic infrastructure investment: fast-tracked revitalisation or rebranding of the former Hilton property as a five-star international-standard hotel must be prioritised.
• Private sector mobilisation: the city’s business leadership must once again partner with the government to co-invest in catalytic projects.
• Integrated safety and urban management plan: business travellers and international visitors require demonstrable safety, cleanliness and efficient transport systems.
•  Aggressive event bidding strategy: Durban should proactively target high-impact international conferences aligned with Africa’s growth sectors – climate, finance, digital innovation, maritime logistics, renewable energy, and BRICS-aligned trade forums.
• Global brand rehabilitation and marketing: Durban must communicate confidence and readiness to the international market.

A call to action

The original Operation Jumpstart emerged during a period of profound uncertainty. Yet, it delivered tangible results because leaders across sectors chose collaboration over fragmentation. Today, Durban faces economic pressures, infrastructure challenges and intensified competition from other cities. But the fundamentals remain strong: a globally-recognised convention centre, a strategic port, a major international airport, and a city with proven capacity to host the world.

What is required now is leadership, urgency and co-ordinated action.

The Hilton Durban must be reopened as a five-star international-standard establishment sooner rather than later. Our conferencing ecosystem depends on it. Durban has done this before. We can do it again. The time for another Operation Jumpstart is now.

** The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of IOL or Independent Media. 

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