About Terra Nova Create | Pioneers in Eco-Lodge & Hospitality Development
Our Legacy in Hospitality & Conservation
​
Before Terra Nova Create was founded, our tea played a pivotal role in pioneering some of the Southern Africa's most iconic conservation tourism destinations. In the early 1990's, our founders helped transform degraded South African farmland into thriving wilderness, shaping lodges and reserve such as Shamwari Game Reserve, Sanbona Wildlife Reserve, and Jock Safari Lodge in the famous Kruger National Park, places that went on to set new global benchmarks for conservation-led hospitality.
​
This same team later went on to launch and grow the Mantis Collection, a portfolio of boutique hotels, eco-lodges, and conservation-led destination that gained international recognition for blending sustainability with luxury travel.
​
Alongside this, co-founder Bruce McNicol contributed to the development of Heathrow Terminal 5 in London, before returning to Africa to deliver landmark projects such Mantis St Helena on one of the most remote islands in the world. Over the past decade, Bruce has been directly involved in project exceeding R1.5 billion ZAR in value, cementing the team's reputation for delivering ambitious, complex developments.
​
Wile Terra Nova Create is a new chapter -founded in 2023- the lessons learned from these formative projects remain at the heart of everything we do today: blending tourism with conservation, community, and design excellence.
Who We Are
Terra Nova Create is a specialist consultancy in eco-lodge development, master planning, and sustainable hospitality design. Based in South Africa and working globally, we bring decades of combined experience in shaping tourism products that leave a lasting, positive impact.
​
We are guided by three core pillars:
​
Sustainability - designing lodges, boutique hotels & resorts that operate off-grid and regenerate lands.
​
Community - ensuring projects are integrated into and benefit the places they call home.
​
Innovation - pioneering new design and operational models that redefine eco-tourism for the modern traveller.
​
From initial land scouting to turnkey hospitality concepts, our team offers end-to-end expertise to create destinations that resonate with both guests and the natural environment.
