Club Med is amplifying its focus on UK trade this year, aiming for a significant increase in engagement with travel agents.
- The operator plans to host 120 agents across 15 familiarisation trips to drive growth and success.
- Key destinations for these trips include Marbella, Marrakech, Sicily, Turkey, and Mauritius.
- An enriched marketing budget and enhanced support from a dedicated team underscore this strategic initiative.
- With remarkable sales growth and a luxurious repositioning, Club Med aims to secure its status in the high-end resort market.
Club Med is undertaking a robust strategy to enhance its trade focus within the UK market this year, initiating a series of familiarisation trips for travel agents to solidify partnerships and drive sales. By hosting 120 agents on these trips, Club Med aims to foster stronger relationships with its travel partners, a move underscored by Anne Browaeys, the chief executive for Europe and Africa.
The familiarisation trips, a core component of this strategy, will introduce agents to key destinations such as Marbella, Marrakech, Sicily, Turkey, and Mauritius. These trips not only provide firsthand experience of the facilities but also aim to highlight the seamless client experience that Club Med resorts offer. The initiative marks the start of intensified engagement as part of a six-week incentive scheme that began on April 8, offering agents the opportunity to win places on these exclusive trips.
Further committing to this approach, Club Med has significantly increased its trade marketing budget and established a dedicated support team for agents, comprising a contact centre and four account managers. This development is aimed at delivering more personalised agent training through face-to-face sessions and webinars, reflecting the importance of the UK market, which has shown substantial growth.
Club Med’s financial performance in the UK has been noteworthy, with revenue last year reaching €93 million, a substantial increase from prior years. This success is attributed to a long-term strategy of transitioning its resorts from mid-scale to luxury, ensuring high satisfaction and return rates among clients, as highlighted by Browaeys.
In alignment with this upscale shift, Club Med is promoting the attractiveness of its ‘sun’ resorts, which include facilities such as childcare and gourmet cuisine. The remarkable sales figures for the upcoming winter season, boasting a 72% revenue increase compared to last year, further validate the brand’s strategic moves. With several new and renovated resorts in the pipeline, including an upcoming resort in South Africa, Club Med continues to expand its luxurious offerings.
Club Med’s strategic emphasis on agent engagement through familiarisation trips and marketing enhancements underscores its commitment to strengthening its market presence.
