Coronavirus: Club Med to reopen first club in China

Club Med, whose activity in the world is stopped due to the coronavirus pandemic, will reopen a first club in China and expects a gradual recovery in Europe this summer, announced its president Henri Giscard d ' Estaing.

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" In the world of tourism, Club Med had been used to a certain number of geopolitical and climatic difficulties and crises, but this one is exceptional since it has led us to close all of our clubs in the world " , he said on BFM Business on Friday. " But the good news is that we will reopen our first club next week in China, " he said.

In the country where the Covid-19 epidemic broke out which paralyzed tourism and then a large part of the world economy in a few weeks, there is " a slow, gradual recovery, given the health constraints that continue to exist " .

" But the first signals show a desire to relive (the Chinese) after the very hard period of confinement they have suffered, " reported Henri Giscard d'Estaing. " With our partner Fosun, we have a large facility in the south of China, a large resort, Atlantis, and it had an occupancy rate last weekend higher than that of last year on the same date ", He said again.

In Europe we should also note, " after this period of confinement, the desire to live again, to meet up for family fun, to take advantage of exceptional places such as those offered by Club Med, " said its president. " On what date will this happen?" It is too early to say, but I think that summer should be the first period, probably with a tendency to travel a little less at the start (...) and then gradually the journey will start again . ”

Acquired in 2015 by the Chinese group Fosun, Club Med currently has " more than 5,000 employees " on short-time work, and retains " 20% activity, to prepare for the future ", although all its clubs are closed. He had to " charter 8 planes " to bring his customers home when he was forced to suspend his activity, said its president, and only " some " of its employees have yet to return from Morocco.