Despite a decrease in group and incentive business, Club Med North America says it is heading for its best year since 2001 from the Canadian market.
“Winter 2010 was a very important season. In a challenging economic environment we achieved our top-line targets and maintained excellent consumer feedback following four years and one billion dollars of resort renovations”, said Xavier Mufraggi, President, Club Med North America.
In 2006 Club Med launched a strategy focusing on upscale families. Mufraggi says it is clearly paying off, with families now making up 70% of Club Med Canadian clients.
Mufraggi says the extensive renovations at several American Zone properties have been embraced by Club Med clientele. “Our resorts claim the first positions in Trip Advisor in several destinations including Ixtapa Pacific in Mexico, also recently ranked as one of the top 10 Best Family Resorts by Parents Magazine and the winner of the 2010 Travelers’ Choice Awards from Trip Advisor.”
Advance bookings for Summer 2010 and Winter 2011 are strong, Mufraggi says, and the group and incentive business is picking up in part due to new convention centres at Sandpiper in Florida and Ixtapa Pacific. Sandpiper is the next resort due for a major facelift, with a $25 million plan unveiled this week.
