About Southern Sun Lifestyle Resorts
Southern Sun has been involved in the Timeshare Industry for over 30 years, originally as a Developer of Timeshare as an exciting new holiday option, while nowadays it is actively involved in the management and administration of the individual Share Block companies that own these Timeshare Resorts. The first Share Block company was Umhlanga Sands which started operating as a Share Block company in the early 1980s, followed thereafter by Cabana Beach, Beacon Island, Drakensberg Sun, Sabi River Sun and Pine Lake Resorts. All Southern Sun managed Resorts and Timeshare businesses are grouped under the Southern Sun Lifestyle Resorts brand.
There are in excess of 43,000 Weeks at the Southern Sun Lifestyle Resorts managed Share Blocks, owned by 33,000 individual Timeshare Shareholders. Certain of the Shareholders are Points Clubs and the accommodation owned by these Clubs is available to their members. All Share Block companies are public companies and their owners, the Shareholders in the companies, enjoy the right to occupy a specific Week at the particular Resort.
Southern Sun Lifestyle Resorts manages the collection of levies which are the most important part of the financial wellbeing of the companies, provides a full accounting service to the companies, prepares Quarterly and Annual Reports for Directors and arranges the Annual General Meetings of the companies. In addition, Southern Sun Lifestyle Resorts manages the Resort operation on behalf of the Shareholders to the equivalent of a four-star standard and all Southern Sun Lifestyle Resorts. Southern Sun Lifestyle Resorts have received many awards and accolades for quality and service and are all highly regarded.
Southern Sun Lifestyle Resorts manages the staffing of each Resort, ensuring that outsourced operators such as Housekeeping, Cleaning and Security are performing and oversees the Food and Beverage Operations, where these services are offered. General Managers of the Resorts are well experienced, having been trained at Southern Sun in a number of different fields and lead by example. Staff training and motivation is extremely important and the Southern Sun Group has embarked on a programme called Siyakhanya (We Shine), embracing all staff members and instilling the Southern Sun values, being People Centred, Integrity, Reliability, Respect, Innovation and Teamwork. Staff has accepted the programme with enthusiasm and the benefits are visible at the Resorts and noticed by our guests who are always impressed and complimentary at the service level received from the staff members.
Southern Sun Lifestyle Resorts also provides a Sales and Rental service for and on behalf of owners who either wish to sell their Weeks, purchase other Weeks or let out their Weeks when not used. These services are only provided to Share Block companies managed by Southern Sun Lifestyle Resorts. Sales/Rental Agents are all registered with the Estate Agency Affairs Board, accredited by Southern Sun Lifestyle Resorts and are based at the Resort.
In addition, Southern Sun Lifestyle Resorts offers a Share Transfer service which records the changes in ownership from sales and purchases of the shares of the various Share Block companies.
Services offered by Southern Sun Lifestyle Resorts
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Global Resort Exchanges Owner management Rentals |
Resales Resort Management Timeshare Sales |
Q & A with Deon Viljoen - Director of Operations
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Please tell us how Southern Sun Lifestyle Resorts fits in to the Southern Sun group of companies? [Deon] The Southern Sun Group has 5 unique brands. Southern Sun Lifestyle Resorts is the Resorts brand for the Southern Sun Group in South Africa. Herewith a list of the Resorts in the brand. Umhlanga Sands Lifestyle Resort “identity - Kid is King” and Cabana Beach Lifestyle Resort “identity – a Timeless Classic” in Umhlanga. Both these two Resorts are fixed week timeshare Resorts and operate a successful rental pool and re sales service. Beacon Island Lifestyle Resort “identity – the Place to Be Seen” in Plettenberg Bay is quoted as being the most photographed Resort in SA. Beacon Island Lifestyle Resort is a fixed week timeshare property and also has a rental pool and re sales service. Sabi River Sun Lifestyle Resort adjacent to Hazyview, “identity – The Heart of the Lowveld” has a Southern Sun hotel as well as fixed week timeshare Chalets, a magnificent golf course and wildlife. The Drakensberg Sun Lifestyle Resort “identity – The Pearl of the Mountains”, central Berg area, has a Southern Sun hotel, fixed week timeshare Apartments and fixed week timeshare Chalets. When you think of the Drakensberg Sun Lifestyle Resort think National Geographic – one of a handful Platinum environmentally operated Resorts in Africa. Pine Lake Lifestyle Resort just outside White River “identity – Gateway to the Country”, has fixed week timeshare Chalets and a true gem. Riverside Lifestyle Resort is an icon on the Vaal River ideal for conferences, family holidays and water sports. The Caledon Casino Hotel and Spa has the legendary and historical hot mineral baths and renown for conferences and family holidays. All Southern Sun Lifestyle Resorts offers extensive entertainment for the whole family and are operated as 4 star Resorts. Which is your flagship vacation ownership resort? [Deon] Each Resort is unique in its destination, in fact in most cases, defines the destination. Its not possible to choose a flagship as they all are. Which is why I always holiday at work! How are you involved with VOASA (Vacation Ownership Association of Southern Africa)? [Deon] All of our timeshare Resorts and business units are members of VOASA, I serve on the board and I am the current chairman of VOASA. You are working hard at getting the industry to collaborate and work together, how do you foresee key players within our vacation ownership industry working together in order to educate and support consumers? [Deon] VOASA has truly come of age over the last few years and now represents all sectors of the vacation ownership industry in SA. Relationships between all the industry sectors has never been better and with its new and updated strategy, VOASA is set to engage all communities in the vacation ownership industry in Southern Africa. You mentioned at the recent VOASA 2009 conference that you are very environmentally conscious as a company, and looking for ways to become greener. How are you implementing eco-friendly services within your organisation? [Deon] The Southern Sun Group has a stated environmental management strategy and all of our Hotels and Resorts has implemented a range of best practice standards. Its not only the right thing to do, it makes economic sense and pleases our staff and guests. Southern Sun Lifestyle Resorts recently affiliated with Interval International for global exchanges – how does benefit your owners? [Deon] Southern Sun Lifestyle Resorts has created its own exchange company, SunSwop, which has been affiliated with Interval International. By doing this, Southern Sun Lifestyle Resorts has been able to ring fence Southern Sun timeshare weeks, specifically for the benefit of Southern Sun timeshare owners’ exchanges. By contracting Interval International a competitive exchange environment has been established in South Africa for the benefit of all. What changes within the vacation ownership industry do you envisage for 2010? [Deon] VOASA will be playing a critical role and in many legislative and regulatory issues in 2010 and we will see an expanded engagement from VOASA with all of the communities in the vacation ownership industry in SA. Harley or Ducati?
[Deon] If you actually want to experience riding a motorbike, Harley Davidson. If you want to wonder what happened or where you have been, I’d say Ducati! |
Related Articles
- VOASA opens on-line registrations and bookings desk for 2010 conference in Durban, South Africa
- Drakensberg Sun Lifestyle Resort - an environmental success story
- Vacation-clubs: The Evolution of time share
- How to understand South African timeshare holiday points clubs
- Interval International & Southern Sun deal - Significate step in International expansion
Contact details
Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Contact person: Shirley Earle
Office Phone: +27 (0)31 561 2204
Cell Phone: Not Available
Email: Email agent
Website: Visit Website
Southern Sun Lifestyle Resorts Opportunities
South Africa
Drakensberg Sun Lifestyle Resort , KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
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Chalet - 2 bedroom(s), 2 bathroom(s), 1 Week from R10,500 Luxury Apartments - 2 bedroom(s), 2 bathroom(s), 1 Week from R10,500 |
Cabana Beach Lifestyle Resort, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Beacon Island Lifestyle Resort , Western Cape, South Africa
| Luxury Suites - 2 bedroom(s), 2 bathroom(s), 1 Week from R40,000 Studio - 0 bedroom(s), 1 bathroom(s), 1 Week from R7,500 |
Pine Lake Lifestyle Resort, Mpumalanga, South Africa
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Pine Lake Chalet - 3 bedroom(s), 2 bathroom(s), 1 Week from R12,000 |
Umhlanga Sands Lifestyle Resort, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
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St Lucia - 2 bedroom(s), 2 bathroom(s), 1 Week from R7,500 Tugela - 2 bedroom(s), 1 bathroom(s), 1 week from R7,500 |
Sabi River Sun Lifestyle Resort, Mpumalanga, South Africa
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Thatched Chalet - 2 bedroom(s), 2 bathroom(s), 1 Week from R19,700 |









