How Beekman Group Built a Multi-Million-Rand Leisure and Hospitality Legacy
On December 30th 2025, we celebrated our 55th birthday, entering our Emerald Year, a milestone that reflects commitment, balance, continuity and sustainable growth. This anniversary is a celebration of longevity and captures the deliberate and enduring approach that has guided us in shaping the South African leisure and hospitality industry for over five decades.
Beekman Group was founded by the Beekman Brothers, Bram and John, in 1970 at a time of global change. The Boeing 747 had opened long-haul travel to a wider audience. At the same time, cultural moments like The Beatles and the rise of colour television reflected a world becoming more connected and curious. In South Africa, tourism was beginning to emerge as a sector with long-term promise.
From the start, our focus was not on rapid expansion but on building something steady and enduring. We believed that holidays matter, that travel connects people and that careful growth creates lasting impact. Fifty-five years later, these principles have shaped a multi-million-rand leisure and hospitality group that continues to make meaningful contributions to tourism.
Building a Legacy Through Continuity
For more than 20 000 days, we have navigated economic cycles, political changes, technological advances and global disruptions. Our approach has always prioritised continuity over reaction. We expanded when the timing was right, strengthened existing businesses instead of replacing them, and paced growth to ensure long-term relevance. This balance between progress and stability has allowed us to adapt without losing our identity.
From the development of our Group entities in the 1980s to the establishment of Beekman House in 2000 as the home of our operations, each step added depth and resilience. Our expansion into Australia in 1999 followed the same long-term thinking. Across decades, we have made decisions guided by purpose rather than urgency, building a business that endures.
Pioneering Holiday Ownership and Expanding Access
One of our most significant contributions to tourism began in 1993 when we launched The Holiday Club SA, followed by Holiday Club Botswana in 1994. At the time, holiday ownership in Southern Africa was often rigid and inaccessible for many families. Through Holiday Club, we introduced a flexible, member-focused approach with our Points system. Our members could travel more often, explore diverse destinations and build holiday traditions that span generations. In 2025, we celebrated welcoming our 10 millionth guest, a milestone that reflects trust built over decades.
Recognising that travel should be accessible to more than just owners, we launched Anytime Holidays in 2002, which was later rebranded to Beekman Holidays in 2021. This platform allows travellers to enjoy a wide range of resorts and destinations while maintaining quality experiences. This expansion reflects the same principle that has guided us from the beginning: growth should widen opportunity while preserving excellence.
Leadership, Recognition and People-Centred Growth
Today, we operate across resort development, management, vacation ownership, exchange services and tourism platforms, including iExchange and Beekman Managed Portfolio. This combination of innovation and operational stability has led to sustained recognition.
In recent years, we have been proud to receive:
- World Travel Awards (2023–2025): Cayley Mountain Resort as South Africa’s Leading Lifestyle Resort, The Kingdom Resort as South Africa’s Leading Family Resort, and San Martinho Beach Club as Mozambique’s Leading Family Resort, many awarded consecutively.
- Six PMR.africa Awards recognising leadership, governance, environmental responsibility, social investment and overall business performance.
- KZN Top Business Awards for Employee Wellness 2 years in a row, Top Family Business, and Green Initiatives.
At the heart of everything we do are our 1 452 employees across Southern Africa. We are recognised as an Employer of Choice and invest steadily in wellbeing, leadership development and long-term career pathways. This focus ensures stability, retains institutional knowledge, and encourages renewal, reflecting what the Emerald Year represents – continuity, balance and growth.
Entering Our Emerald Year Stronger Than Ever
Our Emerald Year will act as a marker of our impact on the tourism industry and as a continuation of a legacy carefully built over 55 years – a defining statement of intent for the future. We remain committed to creating holidays that endure, destinations that thrive and businesses that contribute meaningfully to tourism and communities.
Guided by the same principles that have defined our past, we are positioned to continue leading the leisure and hospitality industry in South Africa with purpose, resilience and sustainable growth.