The Beekman Group is celebrating a major achievement at the 2026 World Travel Awards with three of its resorts receiving top honours across South Africa and Mozambique. This was announced at the recent World Travel Awards Africa Gala Ceremony, where tourism and hospitality leaders from across Africa gathered at Diamonds Bijoux Hotel in Zanzibar.
The Beekman Group’s winning resorts are:
- South Africa’s Leading Family Resort 2026 – The Kingdom Resort
- South Africa’s Leading Lifestyle Resort 2026 – Cayley Mountain Resort
- Mozambique’s Leading Family Resort 2026 – San Martinho Beach Club
“To receive three World Travel Awards across three very different destinations is an incredibly proud achievement for everyone at the Beekman Group,” says Wayne Beekman, Director at The Beekman Group. “It’s particularly notable for Cayley Mountain Resort and San Martinho Beach Club, both of which are celebrating 5th consecutive wins in their respective categories. This isa true testament to the quality of this brand.
“These awards recognise the people behind our resorts who work every day to create memorable experiences for our guests, but they also speak to the strength of our resort destinations and the importance we place on maintaining high standards across the Group.”
The three winning resorts reflect the breadth of the Beekman Group’s hospitality portfolio.
- In KwaZulu-Natal’s Central Drakensberg, Cayley Mountain Resort has once again been recognised as South Africa’s Leading Lifestyle Resort 2026. The resort combines its mountain setting with a broad range of leisure experiences and facilities, providing an all-season destination for families, couples and groups.
- Located in North West Province in the Pilanesberg area, The Kingdom Resort has been recognised as South Africa’s Leading Family Resort 2026, highlighting its appeal as a family-focused destination where guests can combine resort leisure with access to one of South Africa’s premier wildlife regions.
- Across the border in Bilene, Mozambique, San Martinho Beach Club has been named Mozambique’s Leading Family Resort 2026, recognising its beachfront setting and family-focused holiday offering on the country’s Indian Ocean coastline.
The ceremony marked the opening leg of World Travel Awards’ Grand Tour 2026, a global series of red-carpet events being held across the globe, celebrating travel excellence.
Graham Cooke, Founder of the World Travel Awards, commented: “It has been a privilege to welcome our winners from across Africa to this extraordinary celebration in Zanzibar. Our winners represent the very best of the travel and tourism sector, and we congratulate them on their achievements in helping to shape its future.”
Another milestone in an award-winning year
The World Travel Awards wins come shortly after another significant accolade for Beekman Group, which was named KZN Top Brand 2026 at the KZN Top Business Awards held at the Durban International Convention Centre in July. The award recognised the Beekman Group among some of KwaZulu-Natal’s most respected brands and followed a long history of recognition for the family-owned business.
Beekman Group’s World Travel Awards recognition has included previous wins for South Africa’s Leading Lifestyle Resort, South Africa’s Leading Family Resort, and Mozambique’s Leading Family Resort. The continued recognition is particularly significant as the Group operates across a diverse portfolio of almost 40 destinations in five countries, serving more than 80 000 vacation ownership members and guests.
Experience behind the awards
While awards celebrate what guests see and experience, Beekman believes that consistency across its portfolio starts with what happens behind the scenes.
“Hospitality is about making people feel welcome, cared for and at home, wherever in the world they may be,” says Beekman. “It’s the little details that make a family holiday special, and the memories that stay with you long after you’ve returned home. These awards belong to the people behind our resorts who create those experiences every day.”
He says this recognition is incredibly meaningful because it reflects the trust that guests place in the group: “We have been welcoming people on holiday for more than five decades, and our greatest achievement is seeing families return to our destinations year after year, often creating new generations of holiday memories along the way.
“Winning three World Travel Awards is a tremendous honour, but it also reminds us of the responsibility that comes with being entrusted with someone’s precious holiday time. We want every guest who chooses a Beekman destination to leave feeling that their time with us was genuinely special, and to look forward to coming back.”