The Comrades Marathon 2026 taking place on Sunday is set to give KZN and eThekwini an economic boost in the hospitality and tourism sector.
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The 2026 Comrades Marathon is expected to provide a significant boost to KwaZulu-Natal’s tourism and hospitality sectors, with thousands of athletes, spectators and visitors descending on the province ahead of Sunday’s iconic race.
This year’s event is an "Up Run" featuring an 86km route that begins at the Durban City Hall and ends at the Hollywoodbets Scottsville Racecourse in Pietermaritzburg, with the course cut-off strictly enforced at 12 hours.
KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs, Reverend Musa Zondi, on Thursday said the Comrades Marathon remains one of the province’s most important economic catalysts, generating substantial spending across a range of sectors.
“Every year, the race attracts tens of thousands of runners, supporters, technical officials, media representatives and visitors from across South Africa and around the world,” Zondi said.
“These visitors spend money on accommodation, restaurants, transport, fuel, retail, entertainment and tourism experiences throughout the province.”
According to Zondi, the race’s economic impact extends well beyond race day, as many participants arrive several days before the event and remain in KwaZulu-Natal afterwards to explore local attractions.
“Many participants arrive several days before the event and remain afterwards to explore the province,” he said.
“This translates into increased occupancy for hotels and guesthouses, higher spending in local businesses and sustained economic activity across Durban, Pietermaritzburg and surrounding areas.”
The marathon also serves as a powerful marketing platform for the province, showcasing KwaZulu-Natal’s coastline, cities, landscapes and cultural attractions to audiences around the world.
Zondi said sport tourism has become one of the province’s most effective drivers of visitor growth, with KwaZulu-Natal building a strong reputation for hosting major sporting events, including marathons, rugby, football, cricket and netball tournaments.
“The province has built a strong reputation for successfully hosting world-class sporting events, ranging from the Comrades Marathon and Durban International Marathon to rugby, football, netball, cricket and a growing calendar of international and domestic competitions,” he said.
“These events encourage repeat visitation, increase hotel occupancy and expose new audiences to the province’s tourism offerings.”
The winter timing of the Comrades Marathon is particularly valuable, as KwaZulu-Natal’s mild climate continues to attract visitors while much of the country experiences colder weather.
Many visitors take the opportunity to extend their stay and explore destinations such as the Drakensberg, Midlands Meander, Big Five game reserves, cultural attractions and the province’s beaches.
“This is particularly important during the winter season. While many parts of South Africa experience colder conditions, KwaZulu-Natal continues to offer a mild climate, outdoor activities and year-round attractions,” Zondi said.
“We use the event to showcase the breadth of experiences available across the province and to encourage visitors to return for leisure travel, business events and future sporting competitions.”
The race also forms part of the province’s broader “WOZOBONA! It’s Showtime in KZN!” campaign, which aims to sustain tourism momentum through a calendar of sporting, cultural, lifestyle and film-related events throughout the winter season.
Meanwhile, the eThekwini Municipality said it is fully prepared to welcome the 21,600 athletes participating in the 99th edition of the Comrades Marathon, along with an estimated 65,000 spectators expected to travel to Durban and surrounding areas.
“The Comrades Marathon continues to be a significant economic driver for eThekwini, attracting thousands of visitors whose spending contributes substantially to the local economy through accommodation, transport, hospitality, retail, and tourism-related activities,” it said.
The city added that small businesses are expected to benefit from the increased visitor numbers during the marathon weekend, with approximately 1,300 temporary job opportunities anticipated to be created.
Hospitality industry leaders have echoed the positive outlook.
Brett Tungay, chairperson of the Federated Hospitality Association of South Africa, said that the Comrades Marathon remains one of the most important events on the KwaZulu-Natal sporting calendar.
“It is a crucial event for the hospitality and tourism industry every year. It does a good job in filling bookings up accommodation in the Pietermaritzburg and Durban region,” Tungay said.
“We also find athletes also booking accommodation before the event and to climatise themselves, and some athletes stay after the event to recover, which is always good for the tourism sector.”
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