Wild Coast Sun celebrates four decades
Celebrating 40 years of creating unforgettable memories for holidaymakers.
The iconic Wild Coast Sun celebrated 40 years last Saturday, September 18.
To add to the party vibes, the Eastern Cape Gambling Board recently granted Wild Coast Sun a 20-year casino licence, bringing a sense of certainty and security for the resort’s employees and surrounding communities.
The Sun International’s only beach resort opened its doors in 1981, and since then thousands of guests have taken a walk on the wild side.
Coincidentally, the Wild Coast Sun held its soft launch on Saturday, September 18, 1981 – 40 years to the very day – hosting important stakeholders and members of the media.
Built at an initial cost of R25-million rand, the Wild Coast Sun opened its doors for its soft launch on October 18, 1981 in what was then the Transkei, and the resort opened to the public on December 1 of that year.
Since the early days in the 1980s, a three-night stay including breakfast and activities started at just R139, and staff needed permits to work in the Transkei. Prior to Covid-19, the resort welcomed 309 851 guests a year on average.
Today, the resort remains as popular as it was when it first opened, and is the perfect holiday destination with a wide range of activities to choose from. Visitors can step out of the hotel and directly onto the beach and they are spoilt for choice by the activities that have been added over the past 40 years.
In 1986/7 the resort was further upgraded and expanded at an additional cost of R25-million, with the addition of a new wing of 136 hotel rooms, a swimming pool and a solarium.
The Convention Centre was built in 1990, and in 2010, the property had a R460-million revamp, with the addition of the Wild Waves Water Park.
Today the four-star hotel boasts 396 well-appointed bedrooms.
Wild Coast Sun general manager Peter Tshidi said that from its earliest days as a casino and hotel, the property has grown into an exciting beach resort with an endless array of fun activities for the entire family to enjoy.
To mark four decades in operation, Wild Coast Sun’s birthday theme is ‘Life Begins at 40 – Let the Good Times Roll’.
HAVE YOUR SAY
Like the South Coast Herald’s Facebook page, follow us on Twitter and Instagram
