South African luxury group Singita plans to invest US$102 million in Mozambique’s Bazaruto Archipelago, developing tourism alongside marine conservation, reports Moçambique Autentico.
The ecotourism brand will spend US$60 million building a 60-bed luxury lodge on Santa Carolina Island, with a further US$42 million earmarked for conservation initiatives across Bazaruto Archipelago National Park.
The five-year plan will be fully funded by private capital through a public-private partnership with the National Tourism Institute (Inatur), which will grant a 25-year concession.
Singita expects the project to generate 240 direct jobs and 260 indirect positions, while contributing to the restoration and study of the archipelago’s ecosystem.
[See more: Maputo National Park in Mozambique has been named a World Heritage site]
Located off Inhambane Province, the Bazaruto Archipelago boasts turquoise waters and diverse marine life including manta rays, dolphins, whale sharks and Africa’s last viable dugong population. The national park spans over 1,400 square kilometres and five islands, three of them home to 7,000 people.
While resorts dot Bazaruto Island, Santa Carolina’s only accommodation — a colonial-era luxury hotel — stands in ruins. The new resort will offer sustainable luxury with limited guest numbers and complete privacy, mirroring Singita’s existing properties across five African countries.
This marks Singita’s first marine conservation project. The brand currently operates gorilla trekking experiences in Rwanda and safari lodges in Tanzania’s Serengeti.
A marine research centre will be built in mainland Vilanculos, 40 kilometres south of Santa Carolina, focusing on scientific monitoring, environmental education and community-based conservation.
