For generations, women have been at the centre of family holidays – planning, organising and ensuring memories are made. Today, their role has evolved into something more intentional. Women are reclaiming rest, using travel not just as an escape, but as an act of empowerment, pausing the relentless pace of modern life to reconnect with themselves, loved ones and what truly matters.
Providing Paradise: Restful Retreats for What Women Want
Women’s travel priorities in South Africa are wonderfully diverse, shaped by age, family dynamics, financial resources and personal goals.
- Younger women seek adventure, wellness retreats and friendship escapes that recharge and reconnect.
- Mothers and grandmothers prioritise multi-generational trips, creating legacies of shared memories.
- Older generations lean towards slower, reflective breaks that emphasise quality time and rest.
Financial priorities play a role too, whether it’s a quick wellness weekend, a family getaway or a longer cultural journey, women consistently seek experiences that are meaningful, restorative and empowering.
Globally, the shift toward purposeful rest is clear. The Travel Corporation South Africa reported that women made over 65% of solo travel bookings, seeking wellness, reflection and connection. Locally, South African women increasingly choose travel that reflects their personal aspirations – through friendship retreats, multi-generational family trips, or solo wellness escapes.
Recent international assessments reveal that 72% of South African women are the primary decision-makers for family holidays, and nearly 60% prioritise wellness or experiential activities when travelling. These figures show that women are shaping the leisure industry like never before, using rest as a tool for empowerment, connection and liberation.
How Beekman Group Creates Space for Rest
These insights guide how we design our resorts:
- Coastal escapes offer safe, inclusive environments for solo travellers and groups of friends.
- Family-friendly resorts cater to multi-generational holidays, where every age group can enjoy themselves.
- Mountain retreats and spa weekends provide the serenity and balance women seek in an increasingly fast-paced world.
By prioritising connection, safety and wellbeing, we empower women to rest on their own terms, transforming leisure into a celebration of life.
Women at the Heart of Our Culture
The way women experience leisure mirrors how we nurture our teams. Women make up 60% of our national workforce and 65% of our head office staff, holding many leadership roles. Their influence shapes not only the experiences we offer guests but also the culture we live every day.
At Beekman Group, structured training, wellness initiatives, aftercare and career advancement create workplaces where women thrive. This culture of support drives creativity, collaboration, and guest care. Recognition, such as the PMR.africa Diamond Arrow Award for Women’s Empowerment and the KZN Top Business Employee Wellness Award reflect this commitment, but our real reward is seeing women inspired, supported and able to lead.
Rest is a Shared Priority
Women, both as our guests and as our colleagues, remind us that rest is not indulgence. It’s empowerment and true connection. It’s how we reclaim time and create memories that matter.
This Women’s Month, we have had the chance to celebrate women shaping leisure, those planning the trips, those taking them and those here at Beekman Group curating spaces that make them possible.
Rest is not a luxury. It’s liberation.
Find out more about working at Beekman Group here.
If you are ready to embrace intentional rest, deepen your connections or simply recharge with purpose, we invite you to explore our resorts and discover how meaningful leisure can transform your life.