Club Med blazes the trail for growth
ANN RUPPENSTEIN
As she officially kicked off the 2018–2019 season, Club Med’s Senior VP, Canada & Mexico, Carolyne Doyon, had one word to describe what’s in store for the all-inclusive sun and ski vacation provider: being a “trailblazer.”
With many projects on the horizon such as Club Med Michès Playa Esmeralda, its first Exclusive Collection resort in the Americas, and Club Med Quebec Charlevoix, its first property in Canada, she said the future holds new destinations and a new campaign.
“Club Med is a trailblazer. One of our values is to be pioneers, so we look forward, we anticipate trends,” she told Travel Courier during a recent visit to Toronto for the annual seasonal launch and partner appreciation event following similar gatherings in Montreal and Quebec City earlier this year.
“It’s with this pioneer spirit that we will achieve this milestone and pave our way to the slopes of Le Massif of Charlevoix in December 2020,” she continued.
Doyon noted that travel partners remain the main distribution channel for Club Med Canada and that the Ontario market is important, representing roughly 20% of their national sales.
“Club Med Canada has grown 9% this year, and Ontario has followed the same pace with also an increase of 9% – bravo,” she said. “With an increase of almost 60% last winter, our ski resorts continue to show outstanding growth, and it has become a sustainable growth segment by doubling the sales for the last two years. And it’s not over, for 2019, we’re already off to a good start with an increase of 32% versus the same time last year.”
Going exclusive
Part of its new Exclusive Collection brochure, which features its most upscale and luxurious accommodations in remarkable destinations, Club Med Michès Playa Esmeralda is set to debut in the Dominican Republic in December 2019.
“We continue to add new untapped and surprising destinations to our portfolio,” said Doyon. “Imagine being the first person to set foot on an untouched pristine beach with no algae. We’re indeed launching a new destination, Michès in the Dominican Republic. It’s a 75-minute drive away from Punta Cana.”
Also included in the collection is Club Med Cefalù, which opened in Italy earlier this year. The goal is for 10% of Club Med’s portfolio to be part of the Exclusive Collection by 2020.
Meanwhile, national sales director Jacinda Lowry announced Club Med La Caravelle in Guadeloupe is undergoing a massive €40 million transformation, to be completed by December 2019. The investment includes the addition of an adults-only Zen Oasis zone like in Punta Cana.
Also in the works is Les Arcs Panorama, situated at the family-friendly Arcs 1600 ski resort, part of one of the biggest ski areas in the world, which will open in December.
Work meets play
Meanwhile, the new Worktainment campaign, like the name suggests, is a mixture of work and entertainment, for the meetings and events market, as well as corporate retreats. The product features a dedicated G.O. team, tailor-made events, team building and motivational activities.
“It’s the best of both worlds, go work on site and entertainment, have fun while you’re doing it,” Doyon said. “People know Club Med for vacation, but they don’t know it for meetings, events, and convention so that’s another way to increase bookings.”