SINGAPORE, 15 September 2021: Club Med, a pioneer of all-inclusive holidays, is gearing up for an aggressive travel rebound in the Asia Pacific.
Following news of the brand’s upcoming greenfield beach resort in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, due to open in 2023, Club Med is looking for opportunities in Southeast Asia, specifically in Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia over the next five years.
It has successfully reopened resorts in China and Maldives, followed by properties in North America, the Caribbean and Europe.
Domestic travel to Club Med resorts in China soared by more than 2.5 times in 2021 and is already on track to surpass pre-pandemic demand.
Club Med is also readying itself with an aggressive expansion pipeline.
“We entered the pandemic with a robust economic position and are well-placed for a swift, decisive and impactful rebound. Club Med has a demonstrated track record spanning more than 70 years as the pioneer of new destinations and untouched locations, with Club Med Seychelles and Club Med Lijiang as successful case studies of our recent greenfield projects around the globe, as well as the upcoming Club Med Borneo Kota Kinabalu, said Club Med CEO APAC Resorts Jean-Charles Fortoul.
“Following these successes, we have also identified Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia as markets that are well-positioned to leverage this rebound, and we are on the lookout for investors and partners to tap into the potential of these destinations.”
Club Med’s greenfield beach resort in Kota Kinabalu is under development in collaboration with owners Golden Sands Beach Resort City SdnBhd (GSBRC). The 41-acre Club Med Borneo Kota Kinabalu resort will reveal a brand-new destination, encapsulating the beauty and potential of Sabah, just six hours from key Asian source markets.
“Club Med has been an outstanding partner in our collaboration for the Club Med Borneo Kota Kinabalu resort. They bring expertise in crafting unique experiences at resorts, and they have the right savoir-faire to bring them to life and elevate stays in the resort,” said Peter Wong, Managing Director of Golden Sands Beach Resort City managing director, Peter Wong. “We have the utmost confidence in Club Med’s capabilities of creating a sense of destination at the Borneo Kota Kinabalu resort with upmarket designs that evoke emotional connections for guests with the destination, offering them the iconic Club Med experience in a site that is simply paradise.”
Club Med’s plans to open 16 new resorts by the end of 2023, with eight in China, has already been implemented on schedule since the first half of 2021. With 63 resorts worldwide (35 in EMEA, 12 in the Americas, 16 in APAC) to date and more resorts in the pipeline, Club Med anticipates a 26% p increase in its annual capacity by 2024, as compared to 2019.
Club Med La Rosière, France, opened in December 2020, followed by Club Med Seychelles in March 2021 and Club Med Lijiang, China, in September 2021. Club Med Québec Charlevoix will open in December 2021.
