A total of R850 million (€60.7m) has been invested into several development projects at the popular Sun City tourism attraction in the North West province, which will see a massive increase in accommodation capacity and an expansion of services and facilities.
This represents Sun International’s first significant expansion at Sun City since 2004 when it developed The Aviary, the second accommodation offering introduced at the Sun Vacation Club.
The first of these new developments is a new R295 million (€17.3m) expansion of Sun Vacation Club that will see the creation of 58 luxury villas at the resort.
Sun International CEO, Anthony Leeming said: “We are experiencing significant demand for Sun Vacation Club accommodation at Sun City and this expansion will help satisfy this demand. We are confident that this development will achieve above market returns.”
Called Lefika Villas, this first phase includes 48 three-bedroom villas, 10 four-bedroom villas, as well as a recreational area with a resort pool, family restaurant and kids’ play area. Lefika Villas will be able to accommodate up to 400 additional guests.
Tourism Update attended the official sod-turning ceremony at Sun City yesterday (Thursday, October 6), signifying the start of construction, which is expected to be completed by October next year.
COO – Hospitality of the Sun International group, Graham Wood, told Tourism Update on the sidelines of the event that Sun Vacation sales had ramped up during 2020 and 2021 – although the resort had been closed for much of the time during the COVID pandemic.
“Sun Vacation Club’s timeshare model has always been a top seller, because of the trust in the Sun International brand, and we always planned to expand our Vacation Club offerings.” He said he believed there was very low risk to continue with the plans in a post-COVID era.
Wood said this level of investment in the resort was a good indicator from the group that it believed in the sustainability of property and the potential for growth in the market.
“There is demand beyond two-bed and four-bed options and there is also strong demand at the luxury end,” Wood pointed out. “And if we haven’t sold them by the time we open, we can rent them out for hotel accommodation.”
Leeming added: “Sun City remains perennially popular and, post-COVID, we have seen an increase in demand from leisure, conference and sporting guests.
“Our Sun Vacation Club offering is flexible and affordable which allows members to take longer breaks – tapping into the staycation trend – and is ideally suited to families. Sun City’s relatively close proximity to Gauteng makes it an easily accessible destination.”
Local community benefits
As part of the development, there will be significant inclusion of surrounding communities in upliftment and skills transfer projects, with a stipulated 30% build value to be allocated to local contractors.
“This strong emphasis on sharing knowledge and skills will assist community contractors who may not have the requisite experience to gain skills and experience as part of their project contribution. This will stand them in good stead to take on projects in the future,” noted Leeming.
Brett Hoppe, Sun City Resort GM, said: “We are always mindful that many of our doorstep communities are dependent on Sun City for employment and for the enterprise development opportunities we provide for them. Lefika Villas will enable us to have an even greater impact on the region through jobs that are created during the construction phase and operationally when the Villas open at the end of 2023.”
Other developments
Wood said the remainder of the R850m (€60.7m) would go towards the creation of another Sun Vacation offering. “We’re hoping to start construction by mid-2023 on another 210 units which will have its own branding and will likely appeal to the younger traveller as it will have a vibey, more accessible feel,” he said.
The five-star Palace of the Lost City at Sun City is currently undergoing a R208m (€12.2m) upgrade – to be completed next month when it celebrates its 30th anniversary. The hotel rooms are being refurbished and a wellness spa and gym are being constructed.
The exclusive Salon Privé in the Sun City Hotel has also been given a complete makeover.
