Club Med Announces Major Expansion Plans

Club Med’s Global Expansion Plan Will Introduce 15 New All-Inclusive Resorts By The End Of 2020 (PRNewsfoto/Club Med)

Club Med aims to open five new resorts per year, on average, over the next five years, says Henri Giscard D’Estaing, Club Med’s global CEO and president.

The company, which opened two new mountain resorts (Samoëns Morillon Massif in France and Tomamu Hokkaido in Japan) in December, also plans to execute five major renovations to its current resorts per year.

“For more than 65 years, Club Med has continuously worked to improve and adapt to consumer demands and trends,” explains Xavier Mufraggi, CEO of Club Med North America. “This entrepreneurial driving spirit has allowed us to remain an energetic and diverse place for travellers with upscale accommodations, superior sports programming, enriching children’s programs, gourmet dining and legendary hospitality skills.”

These expansion plans will strengthen Club Med’s presence in Asia, break new territory in North America, and elevate its role inthe all-inclusive ski vacation sector.

In Asia, Club Med Ho Tram, close to Ho Chi Minh City in the southeast of Vietnam, will be the first Club Med in the country when it opens in 2021. Club Med Lombok, set to open in 2019, will be the third resort to open in Indonesia. In addition, Club Med Ceylon (Sri Lanka) will open in 2019, and a new five-Trident Exclusive Collection resort will open in the Seychelles in 2020.

In Africa, Club Med is planning renovations for its Club Med La Pointe aux Canonniers resort in the Mauritius, expanding the resort with 108 new rooms and updating existing rooms.

In addition, Club Med will open its first Canadian property in 2020. Located in the Le Massif de Charlevoix region, just an hour from Quebec City, the resort will be feature year-round activities.

Expansions and Renovations by Region

Some of the global openings, renovations and tech upgrades this year include:

CARIBBEAN

• Renovation – Club Med Turkoise (Turks and Caicos): The resort reopened in January, and as a result of its renovations and enhancements, will receive its fourth Club Med trident (the company’s unique star rating system) on May 1, 2018. The reno included: all new deluxe-level guestrooms with balconies; redesigned pool and reception area; new main bar; renovated dining space with new wine cellar; new wellness area; and tech updates.
• Renovation – Club Med Buccaneer’s Creek (Martinique, French West Indies): The resort is transforming its specialty restaurant, L’o, into a beach lounge with a view of the ocean. The secluded area will offer all-day dining. In addition, the main restaurant, Pays Mélés, will also be renovated. The scheduled completion date is summer 2018.

MEXICO

• Expansion – Club Med Cancún Yucatán (Cancún, Mexico): Set to open in July 2018, the resort’s Aquamarina area is being expanded, with the addition of 60 new family rooms and a new oceanfront pool. In November 2017, the resort completed a full renovation to all rooms and public spaces, and introduced new restaurant concepts.

ITALY

• New Resort – Club Med Cafalù (Sicily, Italy): Scheduled to open this summer (2018), Club Med Cafalù is the newest flagship resort in Club Med’s Exclusive Collection. The five-trident property will offer more than 300 rooms, three gourmet restaurants, and three bars. Activities available range from sailing and electric surfboarding to tennis and archery. The resort will also have a Spa by Carita.

FRANCE

• New resort — Les Arcs Panorama (Savoie, France): Slated to open December 2018, the resort is located in the Paradiski region of the French Alps, giving guests access to 264 miles of ski slopes. Its 433 rooms (suite, deluxe and club levels) have ski-in/ski-out access. The property also has three restaurants.
• Newly opened — Club Med Samoëns Morillon Grand Massif (Samoëns, France): This 382-room, ski-in/ski-out property located in the heart of France’s Grand Massif ski region, opened in December 2017. Features include interconnecting options (balconies and lounge areas) in select guestrooms; indoor and outdoor pools; and a menu designed by two-star Michelin chef Edouard Loubet for its Skyline Gourmet Lounge.

CHINA

Club Med is testing a new, short-vacation-style hotel concept in China. The Club Med Joyview project will create a number of new hotels in the country over the next few years, each within an extraordinary and easily accessible destination (within three hours of a major city). These properties will allow guests to choose either a bed-and-breakfast option or an all-inclusive package. Two Joyview properties have opened, with a third scheduled to open this year.

• Newly opened  — Club Med Joyview Golden Coast (Hebei Province, China): Located on the beach in the Beidaihe district of Qinhuangdao City, in the Hebei province of China, this resort opened in January. It has 308 rooms, all with seaviews.
• Newly opened  — Club Med Joyview Anji (Zhejiang Province, China): Located close to Shanghai, this property has 301 rooms. It is surrounded by bamboo forests and tea fields.
• New resort — Club Med Joyview Great Wall (Hebei Province, China): Opening later this year, this property is located at the foot of the Great Wall of China in Bakeshiyingzhen in the Hebei province. It will feature an indoor sports facility and indoor waterland.
• Expansion – Club Med Guilin (Guilin, China): This resort opened a nearly 9,700-square-foot, two-storey indoor sports complex in January. It features a climbing wall, trampoline, virtual reality game room, multi-sport playground (volleyball, basketball and badminton), and a circus experience with juggling, unicycling, balance exercises and an indoor flying trapeze.

JAPAN

• Newly opened  — Club Med Tomamu Hokkaido (Hokkaido, Japan): Opened in December 2017, this resort’s guestrooms have full mountain views. Guests can participate in skiing, snow trekking and more. The resort has the largest indoor wave pool in Japan.

SOUTH ASIA

Renovations  —  Club Med Kani (Republic of the Maldives): The resort will soon open a new scuba-diving center, as well as a complete refresh of the overwater suites at the Manta Exclusive Collection space. The Manta section will also have a new welcome lounge, beach restaurant and bar lounge. Manta guests will also be access to Club Med Finolhu Villas, a luxury five-Trident resort on its own private island.