KwaZulu Natal has identified a major gap in the region’s tourism product offering – the lack of integrated beach resorts with 300 rooms. This is the minimum requirement for international branded resort operators.
“The mass leisure market from an internationally branded hospitality point of view is a particular priority focus area for Tourism KZN as we do not yet have an international hotel and resort operator to appeal to the mass-market traveller or to the volume-focused tour operator,” says Tourism KwaZulu-Natal’s Acting GM for Tourism Development, Abie Wentzel.
“Research and feedback from major international tour operators shows that the KZN coastline currently lacks a critical mass of internationally brand-recognised beachfront hotels that span the five-star, four-star and three-star price/quality brackets,” says Wentzel, adding that a number of resorts will be responding to the market demand for beach resort developments to cater for major outbound tour operators and the market at large, including the domestic market.
Wentzel says some international tour operating companies have been looking for a destination like KZN that can cater for a beach, wildlife and cultural experience. “Development of these resorts can lead to billions of rands of investment and create thousands of job opportunities and a lot of small businesses to supply and service the resorts.”
The following projects are in various stages of planning/development:
Tinley Manor Resort – Tinley Manor: a R1-1.2bn (€66.3m-€79.56m) four- to five-star beach resort development with 450 rooms, 650sqm conference facility, resort and beach facilities. Restaurants, swimming pool, recreational and sport facilities, and additional villas. The resort has undergone a feasibility study and the business plan is complete. Designs and EIA are being finalised. Developers, funders and investors are needed.
Nonoti Beach Resort – Stanger/KwaDukuza: This proposed R350m (€23.2m) development comprises a beach resort on a 195ha site. It is wholly owned by the community of Nonoti, which comprises 200 households. The concept includes 250 rooms with four-star status: 24 four-star self-catering units and 16 three-star self-catering units. Entertainment facilities will include six restaurants and a 200-seat conference facility.
Sovereign Sands Beach Resort – North Coast: The R218m (€14.4m) beach resort will consist of a four-star hotel with 220 rooms plus common facilities and a Beach Club/restaurant. A number of three- to six-room private family villas, which are already constructed, will also be available to the hotel operation to supplement the number of available rooms. The common facilities will typically consist of a restaurant, pub, pool terrace, a wellness centre and meeting/conference rooms.
Blythedale Coastal Resort – Blythedale Beach: The 1 000ha coastal resort will consist of a themed resort area with a 600-room hotel and an additional 200 resort units. Resort facilities include three beach nodes consisting of swimming pools, restaurants, bars and convenience shops; an 18-hole championship golf course, equestrian centre and sporting school; wellness centre and spa; and an environmental centre and nature reserve. The resort is valued at R350m (€23.2m).
Sibaya Resort Hotel – Umhloti: This mixed-use estate development will be predominantly residential units – generally resort-style in nature, complemented by an office park, hotels, conference and entertainment facilities and social amenities, such as educational institutions and recreational components. The value of the development is not yet available.
Port Durnfort resort – south of Richards Bay: Port Durnfort will be a R350m (€23.2m), four/five-star resort development.
St Lucia Hotel – St Lucia: The R88m (€5.8m) project will include a four-star hotel with 55 rooms; a conference room that can accommodate 200 people, with the facilities to divide it into a full service restaurant serving three meals.
KwaBonambi Hotel – KwaBonambi: The R120m (€7.96m) hotel development will comprise a two-star standard business hotel, with 50 rooms. It will offer standard rooms (sleeping two people per room) that can be converted into family spaces through inter-leading rooms. A small conference venue will be developed at the hotel with the capacity to accommodate 100 delegates.
Thokazi Royal Lodge project – Nongoma: The R85m (€5.6m) lodge development will incorporate a four-star, 25-room lodge with a conference venue for 50 delegates. The development will be phased, with proposed improvement costs for Phase 1 for the lodge upgrade, including the refurbishment of the main house, new covered deck area, new kitchen, refurbishment of the existing chalets, refurbishment of a new standard unit, and refurbishment of the existing pool and site services.
Umfolozi Big 5 lodges – south of Hluhluwe Imfolozi Park: The R86m (€5.7m) collection of lodges will include three lodges. A 46-bed (21-unit) five-star luxury lodge will have access via the newly constructed P 700 between Empangeni and Ulundi. A 22-bed (11-unit) four-star luxury lodge will be developed on the banks of the White iMfolozi River adjoining the iMfolozi Wilderness area. And a 16-bed (8-unit) tented lodge will be developed, with the intended location being on the banks of the Black iMfolozi River.
Bhangazi lodge – Bhangazi site: The R35m (€2.3m) lodge will be made up of 22 self-catering tents on raised decks; a restaurant with a large pool and deck overlooking Lake Bhangazi; parking, on-site housing for eight employees to ensure efficient operation of lodge and restaurant, back-of-house storage, administration facilities, workshops, and other amenities.
Shakaland – Eshowe: The R10m (€663 000) refurbishment of the Shakaland cultural village will include re-thatching of rooms, air-conditioning, installation of new televisions, bedding, showers, and upgrade of access road together with operational expenses.
Durban Point Waterfront Hotel development: The mixed-use development will be located in the Durban Point Precinct, and will include a five-star 350-room hotel, with access to a shopping centre, public beach, safe swimming, learner surfing, snorkelling zone, promenade, green amphitheatre and other water-based activities. The Precinct includes hotels, residential apartments, office park and retail developments. It is located on a 55ha site neighbouring Durban Harbour. The total project is valued between R30bn (€1.99bn) and R35bn (€2.32bn).
Woodstock dam – Drakensberg: The R576m (€38.19m) resort development will be a waterland theme-park offering a range of outdoor water-based activities, restaurants, a game park, conference centre, four/five-star hotel and spa, world‐class restaurant (on water), and a 1 000-seat amphitheatre with wedding facilities that will be the anchor of a golf estate development.
Durban Eye/Wheel – Durban beach front: The Durban Eye is a R375m (€24.86m) project for a giant observation ferris wheel, that offers a spectacular 360-degree panoramic view of Durban city from the beach front. The Durban Eye will consist of 27 fully enclosed air-conditioned cabins that each hold 16 passengers, and will take passengers 78 metres above the ground on a 15- to 20-minute four-revolution ride. The wheel will also offer two wheelchair-friendly VIP cabins and cocktail-accessible cabins. Various sites have been identified including the Durban Point, uShaka Marine, Moses Mabhida, Suncoast Casino, Durban North Beach, etc. and a comparative analysis has been done to determine the most suitable site.
Durban Cruise Terminal – Durban Point: The 5 000sqm cruise terminal will be built in the Port of Durban by October 2020. The new green and energy-efficient terminal will boast a host of new features and facilities, allowing for simultaneous embarkation and disembarkation of passengers on multiple vessels. Parking will be provided for around 200 vehicles, with kerbside drop-off facilities for 12 buses, dedicated baggage drop-off areas, separate screening and temporary holding areas, as well as a separate passenger entry and exit points. There will be a trail component, as well as multi-purpose training, conferencing and events facilities and adequate space allocated for other ancillary services. The project is valued or R215m (€14.25m).
