In 1950, Belgian entrepreneur Gérard Blitz launched Club Méditerranée in Mallorca, Spain, with a simple idea: a village-style retreat fostering joy, connection, and nature. Now, 75 years later, that philosophy is taking root on KwaZulu-Natal’s North Coast.
At Tinley Manor, Club Med is developing its first resort in South Africa. The roughly R2 billion project is a joint venture with Collins Residential, which first proposed the concept in 2017 as a way to introduce a globally recognised, all-inclusive offering to the region. The resort is scheduled to open in July 2026.
Travel trade professionals and media were invited to tour the site mid-construction, offering a behind-the-scenes look at a resort still in progress.
When complete, the resort is expected to create over 1 000 jobs, with a strong focus on local employment. Central to this is the Nukakamma Hospitality Training Programme, empowering approximately 130-160 youth from surrounding areas with world-class skills, with training by Michelin-starred Chef, Pascal Favre d’Anne.
The resort will have 400 rooms and villas, a 500-seat conference facility, Club Med’s first global surf school and access to a Big Five reserve near Pongola. The beach-to-bush concept is intended to appeal to both leisure and business travellers, while broadening KZN’s tourism offering.
Construction began in early 2024 after seven years of planning, overcoming challenges like the pandemic and regional setbacks. Sales will open in October, and interest is already being seen, aided by efforts to improve air connectivity from key source markets like the UK, France and India.
Warm sea water and a good climate for 10 months of the year helped Tinley meet Club Med’s site criteria. The resort’s design incorporates local materials and Zulu craftsmanship, and sustainability features like BREEAM certification, and careful visitor flow management to ensure environmental care.
Club Med has framed the development under its ‘Happy to Care’ platform, with an emphasis on community engagement and environment stewardship. The company stresses that this is not just an international brand arriving in South Africa but an opportunity to help foster inclusive growth.
