Ontario bookings are surging, says Club Med at 75th anniversary party

Travel advisors braved winter weather to gather at Lobby Bar in Hamilton, ON on Tuesday (Dec. 9), where Club Med representatives celebrated the resort company's 75th anniversary with news that made the journey worthwhile: Ontario bookings are surging.

Tyler Mattioli, manager, new business development, Ontario and the Maritimes, opened the evening – a roadshow that will also stop in Uxbridge tonight – by highlighting the company's recent performance in the province. 

"In the last three, four or five years, we've seen massive growth in Ontario,” he said. “Last week, we had a tremendous Black Friday off the back of our agents. I want to thank you so much for your support.”

Ontario bookings surpassed Quebec during the recent Black Friday sale, according to Club Med's Jacinda Lowry, associate vice president - sales, Canada. 

She noted that 2025 has been a record year for the company, with 2026 advance bookings showing a 42 per cent increase compared to the same period last year.

Company history & expansion plans

The evening's theme centred on Club Med's role as a trendsetter in the resort industry. 

Lowry touched on the company's history, including its founding in 1950 by Belgian ex-water polo Olympian Gérard Blitz.

"It was two years after World War II, and everybody was rebuilding. His vision was to offer people a place that was easily accessible and where they could reunite, create a community,” she said. “It was about offering that freedom and a place to get away from all those years of misery.” 

The first Club Med resort opened in Mallorca, Spain. 

"75 years ago, the word ‘all-inclusive’ did not even exist," Lowry noted.

The company now operates more than 70 resorts, with two-thirds in sun destinations and one-third focused on ski properties. And all properties operate under an all-inclusive model. 

"Our plan by 2035 is to get to 100 resorts. That will be both sun and ski," Lowry said.

Property renovations & new openings

Lowry highlighted recent renovations at the Punta Cana property, describing it as "like a brand-new resort." 

The Cancun property is also undergoing similar updates, she said. 

Natasha George, business development manager for Ontario and Western Canada, shared additional details. "In Cancun, in 2023, we renovated parts of the resort, and we're completing the rest of it in 2026,” she said. 

“We have a new main pool that's an infinity pool, as well as a new beach pool bar.”

The additional renovations will begin in spring 2026 and be completed by October, according to Lowry, and property will be available to sell as of September 2026.

Two new properties are also scheduled to open in 2026. 

Club Med South Africa Beach & Safari will open in July, located 45 minutes from Durban. 

"For the first time ever, we have two resorts in one: It's an oceanfront property as well as a safari lodge," George said. 

"Your clients are going to be immersed in underwater life, as well as on land. The oceanfront portion of the resort will be a surfers’ haven, and we'll have lessons."

Club Med Borneo will also launch in 2026 as the company's first eco-friendly resort. 

"This one is where turquoise waters and white sand meet jungles. It's about 17 hectares of beachfront paradise with 400 luxurious rooms," George said.

Three additional resorts are planned for 2028: Club Med Gramado in Brazil, Club Med San Sicario in Italy and Club Med Oman. 

Club Med Tremblant is scheduled to open between 2028 and 2029. 

"We did phenomenal with Quebec Charlevoix with your help, so we decided to open up another Canadian location,” said George. 

“It's going to offer great options for families, as well as skiing and snowboarding closer to Toronto for your clients to get to.”

Sales strategies, agent resources

George highlighted Club Med's travel advisor portal, which serves as a central resource for agents, featuring videos, images and sales materials. 

"It's a one-stop shop for everything that you need to help promote your brand, as well as get useful resources to help you with selling your brand to your clients," George said.

George also shared that Club Med will prioritize family FAM trips going forward, reflecting the fact that multi-generational families represent 45 per cent of the company's business. 

"Moving forward, because our target audience is multi-generational families, we will be doing more and more family FAMs," Lowry confirmed.

George pointed to the company's high retention rate as evidence agents can count on strong client satisfaction.  

"Our retention in terms of clients that come to Club Med is at 92.3 per cent,” she said. 

“That's why we've been around for so long. I always say: 'You have to go to the Club to understand the Club, but once you're in the Club, you're in the Club for life.'" 

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