“The sense of welcome and kindness of Chinese, the sense of service, and variety of cultures make China an exceptional place to live and work,” Jean-Charles Fortoul, Chief Executive Officer of Club Med Asia Pacific Resorts Business Unit, said recently.
I settled in Shanghai after visiting many cities
After leaving France 19 years ago, Fortoul visited many cities. He finally settled in Shanghai, for its modernity, beauty, beautiful architecture, vibrancy, and people’s kindness.
As a “foreigner living in Shanghai”, Fortoul feels convenient to travel because of top-notch transportation infrastructure. With a variety of cultures, food diversity, and quality and rich history, Fortoul feels a stronger commitment to Shanghai. “So many places to visit and our resorts give a great ‘circuit’ option,” he said.
As the global tourism industry has recovered gradually since 2023, Fortoul has been busy meeting with partners and discussing new business plans. At the same time, he was learning Chinese to communicate better in Shanghai.
Fortoul has been working in hospitality industry for near 30 years. He thought that if Club Med, a lifestyle vacation brand originating from France, wants to develop well in China, cultural integration is the key route.
“The tranquility, depth, and harmony contained in Chinese landscapes, and the romance, delicacy, and elegance of French style can complement and bring out the best in each other,” Fortoul said. He took Club Med Joyview Yanqing Beijing Resort as an example. In the resort, the sea of flowers makes visitors feel like in a garden in southern France. Visitors can also experience the charm of French wines at the winery. According to the document: The Club Med Urban Oasis Taicang Resort, in collaboration with the Compagnie des Alpes (CDA) from French, has created the ALPS SNOW LIVE which is an indoor snow experience venue, allowing visitors to experience “snow mountain travel” in the East China region and enjoy the leisure and comfort of an Alpine holiday.
He believes that this kind of cultural integration will not only improve visitors’ experience and satisfaction but also help internationalize Chinese culture. Introducing foreign cultural elements can stimulate Chinese tourists’ new understanding and interest in local culture. Thereby, they can promote the inheritance and innovation of local culture. At the same time, cultural integration will enhance China’s competitiveness in the international tourism market, and attract more overseas tourists.
Visitors pay more attention to experience and cultural connotations
In recent years, tourist groups and travel concepts have changed a lot. “cultural & travel +” has gradually gained popularity, and experiential tourism has been more favored by global tourists.
Fortoul has insight into the changes. The further easing of global travel restrictions brings greater competition to China’s domestic tourism market. As a result, some destinations may adjust their strategies.
At the same time, Chinese consumers focus more on high-quality traveling and experiential traveling. When the craze of shopping and sightseeing tourism gradually faded, staying in a resort with family became a major choice. “Consumers prefer high-quality tourism products, and pay more attention to experience and cultural connotations,” he said.
It is not only a challenge but also an opportunity for Club Med when facing the market changes. The company set a goal that by 2025-2026, the number of customers from China will be equal to or more than that from France, becoming one of the largest tourist source markets. “Now we are closer to the goal,” Fortoul said. The company is confident to invest in China because of the market potential. Since 2019, Club Med has opened seven resorts in China and will continue to expand its resort portfolio in this market in the future.
Building a bridge of travel between China and Europe
From the UEFA to the Olympic Games, the summer of 2024 is filled with excitement for sports. Club Med, founded by Olympic water polo medalist Gérard Blitz, also brings the enthusiasm of sports to the resort. Fortoul said that the Club Med’s resorts have set up several popular sports experiences, such as rock climbing, cycling, archery, tennis and so on. “We hope visitors who come to the resort feel the fun of sports,” he said.
Fortoul believes that “cultural & tourism + sports” is a new trend. China and France have hosted the Winter Olympic Games and Summer Olympic Games respectively, which provides an important opportunity. “We can emphasize further on ski market’s potential in China. After Beijing Winter Olympics, the infrastructure quality of the ski domains in Jilin & Heilongjiang area is improving continuously. We are very successful with our three resorts in Beidahu, Changbaishan and Yabuli. The resort in Chongli, Zhangjiakou, will soon meet with everyone,” he said.
There are rich experiences in the integrated development of “sports+” in Europe, including strengthening the planning and use of Olympic venues and facilities, continuously promoting the popularity of ice and snow sports, and encouraging integrated development of “sports + exhibition” “sports + tourism” “sports + culture” industries. Moreover, Europe’s renowned ski tourism resorts are all based on fundamental conditions such as convenient transportation, suitable climate, and distinctive natural and cultural resources. They regularly organize large-scale events such as sports competitions, conferences, forums, and cultural performances, centered around ski outdoor facilities and mountain wellness towns.
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