As Vice President of Marketing and Internet for Club Med, how do you anticipate your role evolving as the company expands to ski/sun resorts in the U.S.?

First, I would like to say that it’s very good news! My role, which is to pilot three out of the four strategic assets for Club Med in North America, will remain quite the same: the brand & its development strategy, the customer (database) and value development, and the product and its consistency with our positioning. Moreover, I’m also in charge of the digital strategy, and the right integration of a potential new resort into the digital marketplace as a channel of distribution is a key element to execute.

Globally, our willingness to open new resorts in the U.S. is a main demonstration that Club Med is back in North America. Indeed, we have shown in 2011 our best performance since before September 2001, illustrating the success of a change in business model that aligns with an upscale family-focused marketing strategy that has been in place since 2004. As proof, the successful 2010 renovation and re-launch of Club Med Sandpiper Bay in Florida gives us strong confidence in our ability to replicate this success in additional locations throughout the U.S. and Canada, where there is a clear demand for all-inclusive destinations. In a 2011 travel study, 62% of respondents indicated that an all-inclusive package is considered extremely / very desirable. For affluent travelers (HHI $125k+), the number is 60%, compared to 40% only two year ago (2011 Portrait of American Travelers, YPartnership/Harrison Group).

Obviously in this strategy of opening new resorts, I will be very careful to see that the opportunities to come will maintain our consistent positioning strategy highlighting our points of differentiation in the all-inclusive market. We have strong innovative childcare programs from 4 months to 17 years and a vast array of land and water sports with top-of-the-line equipment and expert instruction. We also highlight the value and convenience of an all-inclusive vacation, particularly when communicating on our Sandpiper Bay resort. Our GOs are also a unique point of differentiation, welcoming our guests and helping to create memorable family vacations.

Our members may be interested in locations in Colorado. For Club Med, we understand that the locations in Colorado were a challenge to operate. Can we give hope to French ex-pats that they will see future Club Med resorts in the region?

Yes, you can have hope! We opened our first ski resort 50 years ago in Switzerland and now have 22 around the world including the recent opening of our Club Med Valmorel ski resort in the French Alps. We had something unique in Crested Butte, Colorado, and it’s obvious that we need to be present in the ski market. We’d like to find a location that offers skiing and is a premium destination to our customers. For us, a premium destination is a resort that fits personal desires and includes activities in the winter as well as the summer. Our resort in Crested Butte was very successful for four months out of the year. We’d like to create a unique offer, as the US represents 25% of the total ski market in the world.

Do you have a timeline for re-opening on the ski side?

As of today, no, but we will be clearer in the next 12 months.

May you please speak a bit about Club Med’s additional current initiatives, such as the launch of its innovative application for the iPhone and iPad?

Research has shown that within 5 years, half of all customers will use a tablet to communicate. We wanted to present a consistent approach to a digital strategy, including content and brand image development, and to drive sales. We are excited to announce that the applications launched two weeks ago.

The key point with this strategy is to be more efficient and to tackle trends as soon as possible. As the U.S. represents the biggest market for tourism in the world, we must be specific in our approach with a “strong digitized strategy.” Everywhere, you will be able to connect with Club Med, including on our website, on Facebook, and through our iPhone and iPad applications. This is a “test & learn” strategy and it is well-developed on our part. This will only help us to be more relevant and accessible into the future.

To view Club Med’s website, please click here.

For more information on the iPhone and iPad applications, please click here. To download these apps, users must simply visit the app store on the iPhone or iPad and search for Club Med.

To find more information on Club Med’s developments in the North America, please find here a recent Wall Street Journal article.