The recent months that were marked by border lockdowns and confinement of citizens the world over, created unprecedented chaos for the tourism sector. Club Med as a brand wasn’t spared. When the crisis hit it had to close all its resorts, arrange the successful repatriation of its guests stuck abroad and put considerable planning and investment into adapting safety procedures and protocols to ensure their resorts complied with authority mandated regulations.
Rebounding from a crisis
The resilience of the company and its ability to adapt was showcased when over the period between May and July 2020, 26 Club Med resorts were reopened across the world. These resorts included China, Japan and Florida in the United States, all which welcomed domestic clients only; followed by Europe and in France, where 16 resorts have hosted, since the beginning of July, customers coming from the Schengen area. The reopening of these resorts allowed Club Med to launch and ensure correct implementation of its Safe Together protocol allowing for guests to holiday under safe and hygienic conditions.
Armed with months of experience needed to host guests under the new normal, Club Med has now opened its doors to more resorts, namely Club Med Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic and Club Med Cancún Yucatán in Mexico. In December 2020 the all new flagship La Rosiere resort in the San Bernardo ski area, near the Franco-Italian border will also open its doors to welcome guests. Boasting panoramic views of the Tarentaise Valley and chalets built from stone, wood and slate, this magical village will also host various events over winter, bringing together the world’s best skiers. The resort will also have exclusive spaces for clients looking for an even more luxurious experience. February 2021 will see the opening of the much-anticipated Club Med Seychelles after successfully overcoming construction challenges faced during lockdown. As the first-ever all-inclusive eco-chic resort on the archipelago, this destination, together with Maldives and Mauritius, is bound to be a firm favourite with the South African market.
Consolidating and expanding the Club Med offering in Morocco
On the 19th October 2020, Club Med and Madaëf, the tourism branch of Morocco’s Caisse de Dépôt et de Gestion (CDG), a leader in tourism investment in the country, announced new projects to boost upscale family tourism in Marrakech La Palmeraie, Yasmina and Essaouira where a new premium resort will be launched. Says Henri Giscard d’Estaing, President of Club Med, “For nearly 60 years, Club Med has accompanied Morocco in its remarkable tourist development and has always been at its side in good times and bad. We are thus happy to have reopened last October 9th our Club Med in Marrakech and to contribute to the relaunch of family tourism for the benefit of all Moroccan tourism players”
This new partnership aims to: –
- expand the capacity of Marrakech La Palmeraie with an investment of approximately 25 million euros for an extension of 100 additional rooms, family swimming pool, Baby Club and renovation of the Exclusive Collection “Le Riad”, Spa, restaurants and Meeting & Events area.
- renovate the Yasmina resort with a new investment of 3.5 million euros to better meet customer expectations, increase the attractiveness of the resort and extend its opening period.
- develop a new premium resort in Essaouira, in partnership with the pan-African investment fund Grit Real Estate Income Group, for an investment of approximately 90 million euros. Accessible all year round and with 350 rooms, it will include a Club Med Exclusive Collection space.
With a solid showing post pandemic and significant investment towards expansion going forward, this marks a new page in the rich and fruitful journey for Club Med, world leader in premium all-inclusive resorts.
