PETALING JAYA: French-based Club Mediterranee (Club Med), which operates the Club Med resort chain worldwide, is opening five new resorts in Asia Pacific within the next five years to increase its presence in the region.

With vibrant economic growth seen in emerging markets, global companies from mature markets continue to expand across the Asia-Pacific region, including in Malaysia.

Asia Pacific is currently the fastest growth region for the Paris-listed travel and leisure group.

It is understood that the group will invest more than RM200 million to open the five resorts.

Set up in 1950 in France, Club Med offers all-inclusive vacations in 80 resorts in 40 countries, from beach to ski holidays for families, couples and the corporate sector.

According to Steven Tan, its sales and marketing manager for Malaysia, Club Med, which rakes in around 1.3 billion (RM5 billion) in revenue a year, is bullish about the outlook for Asia Pacific.

To be more concentrated, Club Med has split its business in the region into two units - Greater China, which covers China, Hong Kong and Taiwan, and East and South Asia Pacific comprising Southeast Asia, Japan, Australia, New Zealand and Korea.

Tan said Club Med, which is mulling a second resort in Malaysia, plans to open three more in China, and one each in Japan and Maldives.

"There are many more on our radar. Beyond five years, we are looking at Southeast Asia, targeting Indonesia and Vietnam," Tan told Business Times in an interview.

Since 2004, Club Med has sought to move upscale and set up resorts in developing countries.

In June, Club Med reported a 70 per cent increase in its first-half net profit. It gained 17 million from November through April, a threefold increase over the same period last year.

Its revenue increased 4.6 per cent to 798 million.
The group reported a 10 per cent increase in Asian countries like China, Singapore and South Korea.

However, it remained prudent for the full year, due to uncertain global economic prospects, expecting its profit margin to be in the range of nine per cent.

http://www.btimes.com.my/Current_News/BTIMES/articles/20121118233106/Article/index_html#ixzz2CfViwlZa

Why have they forgotten about the North American Zone?

Yes, Jim, they have-for a very long time! I think that we both know that, and have experienced it.

I would be very interested to hear a report from someone who has visited the Chinese clubs (are there two now?), to see what the "Club Med ambiance" is like there. Interestingly, when I was at the Phuket and Cherating Beach clubs, I found more of the old time ambiance there than I found at the American zone clubs. Now, that may have had something to do with the CDV as well.

John

I heard that CM is looking for a property ( ski village) in the Lake Tahoe area.

I heard they were targeting US for a ski village, had not heard Tahoe. Interesting.

Wish they would open something in Tahiti but they may be focusing their money on emerging markets for cheaper property and more long term opportunity.

Craig,
A good friend of mine (I met her at Columbus Isle) just got back last week from Moorea. She loved to go to the old club med there, but when she went by it on this trip, she said that it was very sad to see it in such a state of disrepair.

This time she stayed at the Bali Hai and enjoyed it. She was able to get together with some of the people who had worked at the old club.

I must admit, seeing her photos just reminded me at how beautiful and peaceful it is there. God, I miss that place.

John

And also the OLD CM at Bora Bora that was a 3 day excursion trip.

Right you are Jim. I never made it to the "new" Bora Bora club on the other side of the island, but did take two trips to the old club. It was small and very intimate. Not very fancy, but you developed some great friendships.

I remember leaving to go to to Moorea for a week. We were on "Le truck", which is how you got around on the island. It was early in the morning and one of the GO's was running after us with her long blond hair flowing in the breeze, touching our hands as we heading down the road, not wanting us to leave. You don't forget things like that.

John

Concerning a snow village in North America, they seem to target le Massif , in Quebec, Canada- It was on the news yesterday here http://www.lemassif.com/en/presse/1745/club-med-expresses-interest-in-le-massif-de-charlevoix-project.
There is a new railway service reaching Le massif in less thant 2 hours from Quebec City and an international airport in Quebec city