Club Med Opens First South African Beach Resort on KZN North Coast
Club Med South Africa Beach & Safari officially opened on 4 July 2026 at Tinley Manor on KwaZulu-Natal's North Coast, marking the French hospitality group's first fully-fledged internationally branded beach resort in sub-Saharan Africa. The R2.1 billion development by Collins Residential - part of Syncerus Holdings - features over 400 rooms and suites with capacity for around 1,000 guests, and is backed by Absa Bank, African Bank and the Industrial Development Corporation. The resort is linked to Vikela Safari Lodge in Pongola, offering a combined beach and Big Five safari experience described as the biggest resort development in South Africa since Sun City opened in the 1970s.
Leading the resort is Barq Guessoum, a veteran Club Med 'Chef de Village' with more than two decades of experience opening properties across the French Alps, the Maldives and the Seychelles. The resort introduces several global firsts for Club Med, including a convention centre, surf school and integrated safari offering. Tourism Minister Patricia de Lille and KZN tourism officials have described the development as transformational for South African tourism, with the property positioned to draw international visitors to the North Coast and strengthen the region's appeal as a world-class leisure destination.
Source: Moneyweb
