IFA Hotels & Resorts (IFA HR) officially announced its entry into the wildlife hospitality market in South Africa by acquiring a 50% stake in a Joint Venture Company formed for the purpose of acquiring the Legend Golf & Safari Resort development (Legend).

The Legend development, to be officially launched in November, forms part of the 22,000ha (220,000,000 square meters) Big Five Entabeni Safari Conservancy, situated in South Africa’s Limpopo Province. The total development cost is expected to exceed US$ 411 million.

Talal Jassim Al-Bahar, Chairman and Managing Director of IFA HR, stated: “In addition to being very pleased about our announcement regarding our new partners, we’re also very excited about our first Big Five Game Reserve investment in Southern Africa. As with all our investments, the Legend Golf & Safari Resort is an invaluable contributor to our set strategy to reach into the most beautiful corners of the globe.”

Legend is a truly unique world first, where the Big Five (lions, elephants, buffalos, leopards and black rhinoceros) roam freely on the savannah grasslands.

Peet Cilliers, Legend group CEO, said “the Legend Lodges, Hotels & Resorts Group welcomes the partnering with IFA Hotels & Resorts, an internationally acclaimed leader in the development of premier integrated mixed-use hotel and tourism projects and luxury leisure services.”

Cilliers stated that, with full development rights in place, the main construction of the golf course is nearing completion and the construction of the resort’s gate house is in progress. Bulk services have been completed in the estate’s first phase, which has already been sold out by private invitation. Selected investors will be able to acquire further stands, also by private invitation, before the official launch of the remaining phases.

Al-Bahar concluded: “This acquisition is a continuation of our intention to invest in South Africa and Africa, a focus area of our set global expansion strategy. Legend Golf & Safari Resort is one of a kind and it will be a great destination for South African and international investors and tourists. It is our aim to provide our clients with both superb and varied investment and recreational opportunities; this experience perfectly compliments the Zimbali Coastal Resort and our other developments.”