Club Med:new record for the Winter 2017 season and a growth for summer season
Opio, Nice, France, June 23, 2017 — Club Med’s Opio Resort near Nice in France reopened last week. Henri Giscard d’Estaing, President of Club Med, shared the company’s recent results and the new development strategy at the opening ceremony.
As one of the core portfolio companies of Fosun Tourism Group, Club Med reported operating profit of €44.1 million in 2016, up by 36% on year-on-year basis. What’s more exciting, there was a sharp increase in the number of customers compared to the previous years for 2017 winter, reaching the highest level of performance over the past decade. Meanwhile, bookings for summer 2017 are up by 5.3% compared to the same period in 2016: all geographic regions have reported higher business volumes and an increase in the number of customers. Furthermore, two-digit growth is reported for winter 2018 bookings in the three geographic regions.
Such big success is the result of Fosun’s successful investment in Club Med along with a stable and solid management team and a strategy initiated by Henri more than ten years ago. This strategy is built on three pillars: premium, digital and global development. Henri captured global holiday market trend and started upgrading the existing resorts to meet more and more customers’ needs for premium holiday experience. Club Med's offer perfectly addresses new customer expectations and is tailored to the major trends of the premium holiday market
Meanwhile, Club Med keeps innovation in digital technology, mobile devices continue to play an increasingly large role in the search and planning for holiday destinations, and gradually so in the act of buying. Today, the customer pathway of 56% of Club Med customers is made on the mobile screen of their tablets and smartphones. As a tourism pioneer in virtual reality, Club Med has deployed this experience in all its sale spaces. Club Med has already developed virtual reality films for more than 25 of its resorts.
In addition, Club Med is also accelerting its global expansion. Henri said, “In the past ten years, we opened very few resorts. But in the next two years from 2015, we will open eight new resorts in the world, including Grand Massif Samoëns-Morillon in the French Alps and Tomamu in Japan. We will also expanding the Chinese market at a faster pace as the Chinese consumers have changed greatly in their demands for tourism and family holiday will increasingly become a major trend. This October and November, our two resorts in Anji and Changli will have a trial operation under Joy View, a new holiday brand tailored to meet the unique needs of Chinese market. Such resorts, closer to big cities, will still adopt some of the traditional elements of Club Med and focus on short trips. Club Med plans to open 20 resorts in China by 2020.”
Guo Guangchang, Chairman of Fosun Group said, “Club Med features two most engaging elements, one is its classic French touch and the other is its offer of happiness experience to the families all over the world. Fosun wishes to provide global families with the best holiday products in partnership with Club Med, and we also believe that the in-depth cooperation between Fosun and Club Med will deliver great value for both parties. Fosun will offer more China’s growth momentum to Club Med, and of course will support the revival of this brand in Europe and beyond.”
Club Med is an important member of the happiness ecosystem among Fosun’s three major segments -- health happiness and wealth. While Thomas Cook, an established British travel agency is another member of the same segment and also Atlantis Sanya, the world’s top comprehensive tourist destination which about to operate by the end of this year and India’s largest online travel platform, etc. Centered around global families’ demands for happy lifestyle, Fosun will further comb through business of all segments, connect customer resources, maximize synergy through industry integration and provide more targeted products for customers.
Qian Jiannong, Global Partner, Senior Vice President of Fosun Group, Chairman & President of Fosun Tourism Group said, “Tourism has become one of the fastest developing sector of China’s economy. With 2017 as the first year for Fosun Tourism Group, we hope to leverage the exsting brands in the global leisure resort area combined with the innovative brands, focus on leisure resort and service, realize a globalized landscape that covers all industrial chain and create an ecosystem in the new tourism era. Meanwhile, Fosun will continue to support Club Med to grow into a top holiday brand in the world.”
About Fosun Group
Fosun was founded in 1992 in Shanghai. Fosun International (00656.HK) was listed on the main board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange on July 16, 2007. As at December 31, 2016, Fosun’s total assets exceeded RMB480 billion and is principally engaged in three business segments of health, happiness and wealth. Fosun has been persistently focusing on China’s growth momentum and further developing in industries related to health, happiness and wealth. Fosun endeavors to build a C2M (Customer to Maker) ecosystem, aspiring to making a major stride towards its vision of “Innovating a global happiness ecosystem, deeply rooted in China and centered around the family”..