[Image: Craft of architecture]
Club Med’s making a serious power move into South Africa, planting its first flag just outside Ballito, KwaZulu-Natal (KZN).
Apparently, the beach-and-bush playground is set to open as early as July 2026.
Forget choosing between coastal vibes and Big Five game drives, as this R2 billion resort is promising both, and then some. Think flying trapeze, Zulu-inspired décor, a surf school, and a private Big Five reserve, all bundled into one destination. If that doesn’t make your travel wish list sweat, what will?
The project, rising from the bones of a former sugar-cane plantation in Tinley Manor, is already a hive of hard hats and heavy machinery. After years of scoping out the perfect spot, the French-owned brand finally locked eyes on KZN’s north coast – a place they reckon checks all the boxes for sun, safari and South African charm.
At last week’s WTM Africa event, Club Med’s top brass laid out their ambitious blueprint: a 411-room beach resort shaking hands with a 75-room safari lodge, financed entirely by South African investors. The pitch was that this tourism magnet will be strong enough to supercharge KZN’s economy and rewrite the playbook for local resort life. After COVID delays, floods, unrest, and what felt like nature’s own version of “hard mode,” construction finally got cracking last year.
MD Olivier Perillat-Piratoine is banking on what he calls the “Club Med effect.” If their global track record is anything to go by, the locals and international jet-setters will be mingling in style on the beach and in the bush.
The man steering the local project, Chris du Toit, is equally bullish. “This is a very big catalyst for the province and for the North Coast. The key advantage we have is King Shaka International Airport. Since the airport moved in 2010, the North Coast has become very accessible.”
“There are currently 1 300 people working on site of which more than 60% live within a 5km radius so there is significant benefit in terms of employment. Just last week, we met with the local police station commander and she indicated to us that crime has reduced by 60% in the area because people are employed.”
Once the doors swing open, Club Med isn’t just promising poolside cocktails and morning bush drives — the resort is expected to generate around 800 permanent jobs and up to 1,500 indirect gigs. Not to mention the 150 local subcontractors already getting a piece of the action. As Du Toit put it, the economic ripple effect is “significant”.
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Plus, the place is being crafted by a dream team: local design firm Craft of Architecture, Mobius Interior Architecture, and the Parisian hotshots at Studio Marc Hertrich & Nicolas Adnet. This will result in a mash-up of Zulu artistry and north coast surf culture, with enough local flavour to make even Durbanites feel at home.
Perillat-Piratoine told The Sunday Times: “The architecture invites guests to indulge in the relaxed coastal surf vibe — whether it’s early morning paddle-outs, sunset beach bonfires or shaded cabanas reminiscent of Durban’s golden beaches. From sunrise surf sessions — a first for Club Med — to tranquil estuary walks, every aspect of Club Med South Africa is a tribute to the tropical beauty and laid-back coastal charm.”
While the safari lodge will be geared for international globe-trotters, Perillat-Piratoine reckons South Africans – especially Capetonians, who already make up 40% of their SA clientele – will show up in droves.
Club Med is also banking on its “loyal and enthusiastic clientele” to support the property. Although reluctant to mention specifics, Du Toit said the approach will be “glocal”, focusing on a mix of local and international tourists. While the KZN property will be Club Med’s first in Southern Africa, it is not the first on the African continent. It currently has properties in Morocco, Tunisia and Senegal as well as the Indian Ocean islands of Mauritius and the Seychelles.
He does admit the new kid on the block might “cannibalise” some bookings from old faithfuls like Mauritius. Worth it, though, for what he calls an “unparalleled experience of relaxation, adventure and cultural immersion, while maintaining a deep respect for the environment.”
The price tag is still under wraps for now, but bookings are expected to open in October. If their global rates are anything to go by, families should brace for a splurge: a week at Club Med worldwide can swing anywhere from R75,000 to R380,000 for a family of four.
And for the South African market, Perillat-Piratoine isn’t shy about declaring Club Med’s offering a category disruptor. “We are something totally different. The current pool of players is really traditional hospitality and hotel infrastructure. We offer a lively, resort experience.”
With South Africa being a long-haul commitment for most international guests, Perillat-Piratoine sees the resort as a perfect puzzle piece in multi-stop itineraries – think: Cape Town, Kruger, and now Ballito’s beach-bush hybrid.
“Our historical clientele is already enthusiastic about the project so we have a strong base. It’s going to be a positive disruption for the hospitality market in South Africa,” he said.
Does that mean we should expect the old-school hotels to start sweating and scrambling to copy the all-inclusive magic?
[Source: travelnews & techfinancials]
