Only 3% of international tourists visiting South Africa currently come to KwaZulu-Natal.

Industry leaders hope that figure will rise as major international brands such as Club Med and Tonino Lamborghini establish a presence in the province.

Speaking at the packed Business @ Breakfast event at the Zimbali Lakes Clubhouse last week, Club Med South Africa managing director Olivier Perillat-Piratoine shared the story behind the global resort operator’s decision to develop its first South African destination on the North Coast.

Perillat-Piratoine said one of Club Med’s key goals is to win back South African travellers who have increasingly chosen Mauritius as their preferred holiday destination, particularly those from Cape Town.

lights are significantly cheaper and KwaZulu-Natal offers a similar subtropical climate to the island resorts. It also has one key advantage Mauritius cannot match, the opportunity to combine a beach holiday with a safari experience.

Club Med believes this unique beach-and-bush combination will also help attract more international visitors to the province.

Addressing concerns around the future of shark nets at the newly developed beach in front of the resort, Perillat-Piratoine said the decision rests with the KwaDukuza municipality.

In the meantime, the resort plans to rely on drone surveillance and the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) to help keep bathers safe. The resort opens to its first guests on July 4.