Chinese brand name for Club Med localization

French resort operator Club Med is accelerating localization in China with its new Chinese brand name, Dizhonghai Julebu, which literally means Mediterranean Club.

The company announced the new name on Aug 17 at a membership event held in Club Med Lijiang, Southwest China's Yunnan province. The name will be used in all Club Med marketing communication and resorts in China.

Since Club Med entered China in 2003, it has been committed to providing customers with "hassle-free all-inclusive holidays".

As a brand under Chinese conglomerate Fosun Tourism Group, Club Med has adopted the new Chinese brand name to ensure better, long-term development in the Chinese market. It will also assist the brand's long-term strategic goals in China's culture and tourism industry, according to the company.

"The official launch of this Chinese brand name means the beginning of Club Med's new journey in China. It shows that Club Med is willing to capture all the opportunities to grow in China and is highly confident about increasing its investment in the mid- to high-end holiday market. It also demonstrates Club Med's determination to better serve Chinese consumers and the Chinese market," the company said.

Andrew Xu, executive president of Fosun Tourism Group and CEO of Club Med China, said at the membership event: "The official launch of the new Chinese brand name plays an important role in promoting our brand image among consumers in China. This is not only in line with the trend of China's development, but also in line with the trend of quality development in China's leisure industry."

The membership event, officially titled "88 Fans Festival", was part of Club Med's marketing campaign"88 Membership Month". The event was the first offline event organized for membership by Club Med, aiming to upgrade the benefits of the members during the whole membership month and enhance members' holiday experiences from offline activities, the company said.

Club Med has opened three resorts in the first half of this year. It plans to open another 17 resorts by the end of 2024, seven of which will be in China, according to Xu.

"Taking the '88 Membership Month' as an opportunity, we hope that our 'Global Holiday Brand, Splendid in China' concept can truly improve our products, assist our internationalization effort, serve our global customers and promote the healthy development of China's leisure industry," Xu noted.

Two French partners of Club Med participated in the membership event. French winter sports brand Rossignol is a long-term partner of Club Med. It supports Club Med in promoting its snow resorts and has contributed to the long-term development of winter sports in China.

Peugeot Motocycles, a French manufacturer of motorized two-wheelers, displayed its classic retro Django model and invited its club members to participate in the event.

Club Med remains optimistic about the long-term prospects of China's tourism market. In response to a growing demand for short-haul trips in China, Club Med innovated its products and upgraded the brand of Club Med Joyview in 2021.

Currently, Club Med Joyview operates four resorts in Yanqing district in Beijing; in Qinhuangdao in the northern province of Hebei; and in Qiandaohu and Anji in the eastern province of Zhejiang.

With the rapid recovery of China's tourism industry, Club Med will continue to expand its business in the country and open more Club Med and Club Med Joyview resorts. Club Med Joyview Xianlin Nanjing, in East China's Jiangsu province, is expected to open in the second half of this year, according to the company.