Club Med 75th Anniversary: Partnering with Fosun to Open a New Chapter in Global Vacation Industry

In 2025, Club Med, a subsidiary of Fosun Tourism Group, celebrates its 75th anniversary. 75 years ago, Club Med introduced the all-inclusive holiday concept and innovatively launched the G.O (Gentil Organisateurs) and Kids Club, creating a unique vacation lifestyle. Since Fosun's investment in 2010, the brand has undergone a revitalization, opening a new chapter in high-quality global development and earning praise from French President Macron as a "textbook" example of Sino-French cooperation. Currently, Club Med operates nearly 70 resorts in 26 countries and regions worldwide, welcoming over 1.5 million guests annually, with an annual turnover exceeding 2 billion euros.

Xu Xiaoliang, Co-CEO of Fosun International and Chairman of Fosun Tourism Group, said: "Since acquiring Club Med, Fosun has always believed in its unique business model and global potential. By integrating global resources and continuously optimizing localized operations, we have driven the brand's high-end transformation and expansion worldwide. Looking ahead, Fosun will continue to adhere to its long-term strategy, further promote Club Med's French heritage, and ensure its leadership in the global resort lifestyle sector."

Origins by the Mediterranean: Leading a Revolution in Vacation Lifestyle

Looking back at the brand's long history of evolution, Club Med has always adhered to the "freedom and relaxation" holiday concept, continuously launching pioneering and innovative products that embody the essence of French art de vivre.

In 1950, the brand's founder Gérard Blitz, fueled by his passion for sports, nature, and social gatherings, set up "Utopia" on the warm beaches of Mallorca with a rented tent and introduced the groundbreaking all-inclusive holiday concept. This distinctive vacation model included accommodation, food, and a variety of recreational activities, freeing guests from the hassle of planning and controlling expenses, making vacations more carefree and enjoyable.

The brand's soul element, the G.O (Gentil Organisateurs), was born from this concept, standing out in the resort market with its passionate interaction, thoughtful service, and diverse talents. In 1965, Club Med was the first to introduce a buffet in resorts, allowing guests to enjoy a more relaxed dining experience. In 1967, Club Med established the first Kids Club in its resorts, providing professional childcare services and allowing parents to fully relax and enjoy their holidays.

The all-inclusive holiday model, G.O, and the Kids Club became iconic elements that not only shaped Club Med’s unique global brand image but also aligned with global vacation market trends. This approach has been widely favored by family guests and helped expand the brand’s footprint across the Americas, Asia, Africa, and other global markets.

Fosun Empowerment: Driving a New Stage of High-Quality Global Growth

In 2010, Fosun, with its global strategy of "Leveraging China's momentum with global resources," made a strategic investment in Club Med and helped the brand establish its first resort in China in Yabuli, Heilongjiang. In 2015, Fosun completed the privatization of Club Med, helping the brand overcome the European financial crisis and enter a new stage of global high-speed development.

Since 2015, Club Med has added 26 resorts across five continents. Notably, the number of resorts in China has grown from zero in 2010 to 11 in 2024, and guest numbers have surged from 20,000 to 310,000, making China the brand's second-largest source market globally.

Guided by the "Glocalization" strategy, Club Med has developed resort products tailored to local conditions in China, blending international expertise with local landscapes and cultural heritage. This approach has attracted both domestic and international guests. For example, the Club Med Guilin offers immersive experiences with Karst landscapes and art sculptures, different nationalities of G.O, and a multicultural social atmosphere, creating unforgettable holidays for guests. During the 2025 "May Day" holiday, the resort's inbound tourism revenue saw a dramatic increase of 248% compared to the previous year.

With the global economic development, Fosun has also fully supported Club Med's brand upgrade. In 2024, the brand completed the high-end transformation of all its resorts worldwide, bringing higher-quality vacation experiences and significantly improving profitability. Club Med's global revenue grew from 1.5 billion euros in 2015 to 2.1 billion euros in 2024, a nearly 50% increase. Operating profits grew by more than five times, and the global average room occupancy rate reached approximately 70%.

In terms of digital upgrades, leveraging China's leading digital experience, Club Med has further integrated and strengthened mobile marketing and channels, with global direct and semi-direct sales reaching 72%. Today, Club Med is transforming its soul element, the G.O, into an intelligent vacation assistant through Fosun’s ecosystem and AI empowerment, creating the new AI G.O.

It is also worth noting that during the global tourism industry's temporary suspension due to the pandemic, Fosun played a pivotal role in supporting Club Med. Fosun helped Club Med secure government-guaranteed loans and made a large capital infusion to help the brand weather the crisis, laying a solid foundation for its strong recovery and record-breaking performance after the pandemic.

Henri Giscard d'Estaing, President of Club Med, said: "Since joining the Fosun family, Club Med has achieved high-quality global growth with Fosun's empowerment. In the past two years, we have reached historic highs. These remarkable achievements are based on the mutual respect for our two cultures and mindsets, as well as our shared commitment. In the future, Club Med will continue to work with Fosun to ensure that our cooperation remains a model of win-win economic and cultural collaboration between China and France."

Maintaining the Pioneer Spirit and Global Vision, Partnering with Fosun to Embark on the New "Golden Decade"

After 75 years of history, Club Med still maintains its vibrant pioneer spirit and diverse global vision. With a commitment to innovation and continuous expansion, these elements will be the core driving force for the brand to continue leading the global vacation lifestyle.

In the snow resort field, since opening its first ski resort in 1957, Club Med has built a deep foundation in skiing, with a wide range of snow activities and professional ski lessons, becoming a pioneering brand in global ski resorts. Today, Club Med operates over 20 ski resorts in world-renowned ski destinations, including the French Alps, Japan's Hokkaido, and Northeast China.

However, Club Med's exploration of mountain resorts has never stopped. The brand is now launching the "Summer Mountain" operation upgrade, extending the operation of ski resorts from the winter season to summer, creating a new resort experience with features such as summer refreshment, nature, and oxygen-enriched experience. Resorts such as Club Med Hokkaido TOMAMU, Changbai Mountain in China, and Charlevoix in Quebec, Canada, have already opened for summer operations, innovatively solving the seasonal operation challenges of ski resorts.

In the sun resort field, Club Med also continues to innovate. The brand has established 38 sun resorts worldwide, located in top destinations such as the Gold Coast and mountain retreats. In 2025, Club Med will introduce its luxury French sailing cruise line to the Chinese market to meet the growing demand for high-quality vacations in China.

At the same time, considering the "long holidays, short in duration" characteristic of Chinese tourism market, Club Med has innovatively launched the Club Med Joyview and Club Med Urban Oasis product lines for the Chinese market, focusing on short getaways near cities. These new vacation experiences, offering both relaxation and family bonding, have become very popular among Chinese urban families. During the 2025 May Day holiday, the two product lines had an average occupancy rate of over 95%, with several resorts being fully booked for three consecutive days.

75 years of excellence—Club Med has undergone a revitalization and rapid growth with Fosun’s global empowerment, becoming a model of Sino-foreign cooperation. Looking ahead, Fosun Tourism Group will continue to support the development of Club Med, and the two sides will jointly embark on a new chapter in Sino-French cooperation, moving toward an even brighter "Golden Decade."