For a comeback of thriving tourism: Club Med executive turns out optimistic
Shot by Jiang Xiaowei. Edited by Zhong Youyang. Subtitles by Ding Yining.
Jean-Charles Fortoul feels a stronger commitment to China as travelers return to tourism destinations around the world.
As Chief Executive Officer of Club Med Asia Pacific's Resorts Business Unit, Fortoul was busy meeting with partners and colleagues these days in Shanghai to discuss new business plans. He was also learning Chinese to better interact with the people here.
As the tourism industry moves into a new phase, he is glad to see a strong comeback, with occupancy rates going up and people going back to Club Med's high-end resorts.
Such optimism comes from Fortoul's 28 years of experience in the hospitality industry and 20 years in Club Med, and he is no stranger to China.
Fortoul had been based in Shanghai for three years since 2019 but leaving the city for overseas business travelling in the past year. Fortoul chose to come back as soon as he can book a flight ticket because he has strong confidence over the outlook of the Chinese market, as well as a close emotional tie with Shanghai.
"After leaving France 18 years ago, I visited many cities, and I love Shanghai for its modernity, beauty, beautiful architecture, vibrancy, and people's kindness," he said.
"All of our resorts were well above a 95 percent occupancy rate during the seven days of Chinese New Year, which was great news after a very difficult time," he added.
Jean-Charles Fortoul talks to a Chinese colleague at Club Med's Shanghai office.
Following a successful new year's vacation in early January, Club Med Lijiang had a 96 percent occupancy rate, and Guilin was at 95 percent during the Chinese New Year holiday.
According to its annual earnings release last week, Club Med resorts' revenue in China nearly recovered to pre-pandemic levels in 2019, with business volume on the Chinese mainland increasing 2.3 percent year on year to 405 million yuan.
Globally Club Med sales more than doubled to 12 billion yuan (US$1.75 billion), returning to 99.1 percent of what they were in 2019.
"The capacity for international flights is increasing as travel becomes easier, so we expect further recovery of foot traffic beginning in the third quarter," he said.
He expects Japan and South Korea, as well as Thailand and Bali in Indonesia, to be on the wish lists of Chinese travelers, and for next winter, he hopes to attract Chinese to European destinations in ski resorts in the French Alps or even further west in Canada.
According to the leading tourism booking site Trip.com, Chinese customers' outbound bookings increased by 30 percent in the last two weeks compared with a month ago, and group tours increased by 25 percent.
Jean-Charles Fortoul exchanges meeting notes with a colleague.
Club Med has already dispatched 80 Chinese-speaking Gentils Organisateurs (friendly organizers, G.O) to overseas resorts, primarily in Japan and France, to provide better service to Chinese clients traveling abroad.
It plans to move 200 G.Os by the end of the summer to meet the growing overseas travel demand.
"We want to make sure there will be Chinese-speaking G.Os in every resort to offer the best experience possible," Fortoul said.
The pandemic has not slowed its expansion plans, with at least three new locations set to open this year.
It has also taken a progressive approach to domestic destinations to accommodate different types of destinations.
With a rising appetite for outdoor activities, we're well positioned to benefit from the momentum for mountain and ski tourism," he said.
According to the China Ski Industry White Paper, the number of skiers in China will nearly triple from 21 million in 2021 to 57 million by 2030.
Although the Changbaishan resort did not immediately benefit from the enthusiasm for skiing that followed the Beijing Olympics, it did record a 50 percent increase in occupancy in one year.
The Changbaishan resort in northwestern Jilin Province opened last year.
Although it was unable to capitalize on the enthusiasm for skiing that followed the Olympics in Beijing, it did manage to increase occupancy by 50 percent in one year.
It currently has three contain and ski resorts in China, with an additional one in Chongli, northern Hebei Province, set to open next winter.
Club Med will open its first resort in Nanjing later this year, close to the city center, for urban visitors.
According to Fortoul, the new Club Med city hotel product line caters to visitors to urban centers by locating the resort in the heart of large cities.
The first Club Med resort in western China is also set to open later this year in Heilongtan County, Sichuan Province, about 1.5 hours from Chengdu.
Club Med Joyview Thousand Island opened last year.
