Beekman Group: Actively Shaping Family Holidays in South Africa

Since 1970, the Beekman Group has built far more than just resorts by creating complete family holiday experiences that evolve with generations. With 30+ resorts owned and managed in southern Africa, access to 130+ local resorts, and more than 10 million guests welcomed, we provide families with flexible and meaningful holiday experiences. Our family-owned ethos guides everything we do, from the way we care for our teams to the way we welcome guests, ensuring everyone feels like an extension of the Beekman family.

“This business has always been about family – not only the Beekman family, but the people who work with us and the families who holiday with us. Over the years, those relationships have become the heart of everything we do,” says John Beekman, Beekman Group’s founding member and Managing Director.

Making Family Holidays Accessible for Every Traveller

At the Beekman Group, being family-owned is not just our heritage – it’s how we make decisions every day. 

When we entered the holiday ownership industry, we recognised it was a complex space, often shaped by scepticism and outdated perceptions. Instead of letting that environment define our approach, we chose to do what any family would: find solutions for every family member, ensuring every family can enjoy holidays that suit their lifestyle, budget, and travel preferences.

Our goal has always been simple. We wanted to ensure that every family who wanted a holiday could enjoy one in a way that suited them. For some, that means long-term planning through ownership. For others, it means flexible getaways, luxury escapes or spontaneous weekends away.

Through our first venture, The Holiday Club, which pioneered the points-based holiday ownership system in South Africa, families can access a flexible model with 130+ local resorts and 3,200+ globally. In 2025, the Club welcomed its 10 millionth guest, reflecting the trust families place in a transparent and well-governed system designed around long-term holiday planning.

Beyond ownership, our Group’s portfolio ensures that families have multiple ways to experience holidays:

Holiday Rentals:Flexible short-term stays and self-catering options, offered through Beekman Holidays, allow families to travel on their own terms, whether for spontaneous getaways or planned breaks throughout the year.

Holiday Ownership:Beekman Group offers a range of ownership solutions, each designed to meet different holiday and investment needs:

• The Holiday Club provides a flexible, points-based system that allows families to access a wide range of resorts with ease. 

• Beekman Lifestyle Portfolio offers traditional timeshare with guaranteed weeks and exchange opportunities, suited to families who value consistency and routine. 

• Beekman Managed Portfolio focuses on luxury homes and fractional ownership, combining premium holiday experiences with investment potential.

Exchanges:Exchange opportunities extend the travel experience even further:

• Private Residence Collection offers access to exclusive luxury properties supported by personalised service. 

• iExchange provides local and global exchange opportunities across thousands of resorts. 

Together, these options allow families to create personalised holidays and lifelong memories, whether returning to a favourite destination year after year or exploring new experiences across Southern Africa and beyond.

South African Families Prioritise Local Holidays

A family-owned business means we understand families in a way that goes beyond numbers. Staying close to our guests and our teams keeps us in touch with what families truly want from a holiday. Recent insights from Marriott Bonvoy’s 2026 Ticket to Travel confirm what we have long understood: South Africans value meaningful time together, planning an average of six holidays in 2026, with 53% citing time with family and friends as their main motivation.

What is increasingly clear is that many of these holidays are taken closer to home. Local travel offers practical advantages, reducing reliance on international travel costs, removing the need for flights or additional transport, and allowing families to travel more frequently. It also creates the opportunity to explore South Africa more deeply, from heritage-rich destinations to its diverse natural landscapes.

For Beekman Group, this has long shaped how we design our portfolio. From bush, beach and berg destinations to self-catering, multi-generational-friendly resorts, we ensure holidays are both accessible and meaningful. Guests are encouraged to immerse themselves in local experiences, from community engagement and well-known eateries to the rich biodiversity surrounding each resort, creating opportunities to reconnect, relax and build lasting memories.

Raising Standards and Influencing the Industry

Our commitment to family values and guest-focused experiences has enabled us to raise standards across the leisure and hospitality sector. Whether it’s a family holiday or a lifestyle getaway, we are consistently recognised for shaping holidays through our leadership, innovative practices, and exceptional experiences we create for our guests.

Repeated recognition at the World Travel Awards reflects this commitment:

• San Martinho Beach Club – Mozambique’s Leading Family Resort (2022-2025)

• Cayley Mountain Resort – South Africa Leading Lifestyle Resort (2022-2025)

• The Kingdom Resort – South Africa’s Leading Family Resort (2023)

In addition, our KZN Top Business Awards highlight our leadership, sustainability and people-centred approach:

• Top Family Business – affirming its leadership as a family enterprise (2022)

• Renewable Efficiency & Green Initiatives – commitment to sustainable operations (2023)

• Employee Wellness – people-centred practices and staff care (2024 and 2025 consecutively)

  
  

By combining disciplined governance, thoughtful reinvestment and long-term family leadership, we here at Beekman Group continue to set benchmarks that elevate the standards of family holidays and lifestyle experiences across Southern Africa.

A KwaZulu-Natal Enterprise Shaping South African Family Holidays Headquartered in KwaZulu-Natal, Beekman Group has spent over 55 years shaping family holidays – we have built a legacy of family holidays that truly reflect the needs, values and rhythms of South African families. Every decision we make, every investment we undertake and every experience we design is guided by the same principle: what would our family need and want on holiday?

By listening closely to our guests, supporting our teams and evolving with generations – as any family would - we ensure holidays remain meaningful, accessible and memorable. This commitment actively shapes how family leisure is experienced across the country, and it's how we continue to make extraordinary family holidays the standard.

Discover what we are doing to shape the future of family holidays across southern Africa. 

Beekman Group: Actively Shaping Family Holidays in South Africa