Club Med packs the house as English Canada & resort growth accelerates

If Club Med’s latest chapter in Canada were a movie, the all-inclusive pioneer may have a hit on its hands.

The Canadian Club Med sales team took over a Cineplex Cinemas theatre in Vaughan, ON, Wednesday night (Aug. 26) for “Club Med Unpacked,” an interactive learning event designed to give travel advisors a big-screen look at what’s happening across the company’s global portfolio.

And advisors showed up in blockbuster numbers.

Around 180 attendees packed the theatre, marking Club Med’s largest-ever attendance in the English-speaking market.

Demand was so strong that the team, 48 hours out, had to submit a request for a larger theatre to accommodate the crowd.

Club Med’s Jacinda Lowry, who was named associate vice-president for Canada in 2024, was glowing as she took in the sight of a packed theatre.

“I remember when we used to have a hard time getting 30 people,” she told PAX last night. “This is a record for us and I am so proud of the teams.”

“We've been able to get [travel advisors’] attention, and have them say, ‘I want to learn more about what makes Club Med different.’”

With complimentary popcorn, candy and soft drinks in hand – plus appetizers to kick off the evening – advisors settled into their seats as stunning destination and resort imagery glided across the big screen.

But the impressive turnout told a bigger story.

Club Med, which has traditionally enjoyed a strong sales foothold in French-speaking Quebec, has been steadily building its presence in English Canada.

The growth is increasingly showing up in Club Med's sales figures.

Lowry told PAX that Ontario now accounts for approximately 20 per cent of Club Med's Canadian sales, compared with less than 15 per cent two years ago.

READ MORE: “A real opportunity”: Jacinda Lowry unpacks Club Med’s bold push in English Canada

“It’s growing quickly, in both direct and indirect, but the B2B is growing quicker. That's part of our strategy coming in here. It's happening with our travel partners,” she said.

Club Med, unpacked

For advisors less familiar with the brand, Club Med, which turned 75 last year, operates 60 all-inclusive resorts worldwide, spanning the Caribbean, Mexico, Europe, Asia and the Indian Ocean.

Roughly two-thirds of its resorts are beach properties, while about one-third are mountain resorts.

Its portfolio includes beach escapes, ski resorts and mountain retreats catering to couples, families, groups and active travellers.

READ MORE: On Location - Club Med marks 75 years with party in Dominican, reports Ontario growth

Meals and beverages, entertainment and extensive sports programming are built into the experience, while many family properties offer kids' clubs.

At the higher end is Club Med's Exclusive Collection, encompassing upscale resorts, suites, private spaces, villas and chalets. There are currently 21 Exclusive Collection resorts or spaces within Club Med's portfolio.

But Club Med has bigger ambitions.

Lowry said the company wants to expand to 100 resorts worldwide by 2035, while continuing to invest in its existing portfolio.

One of its newest properties is Club Med South Africa Beach & Safari, in Tinley Manor, KwaZulu-Natal, which opened in July,

And coming soon are Club Med St. Croix in 2027, Club Med San Sicario in the Italian Alps in 2028 and Club Med Tremblant in Quebec, which you can read more about here, in 2028.

Additionally, all of Club Med’s resorts now are either four or five-Trident properties (the company’s lingo for stars).

Winter is coming

With Canada's summer winding down, PAX asked Lowry how Club Med is approaching the winter travel season.

For Club Med, selling winter – particularly ski – begins well before the snow starts falling, she said.

READ MORE: On Location: Ski, sip, repeat — PAX unpacks all-inclusive skiing with Club Med, agents in the French Alps

“We're already in our ski blitz for 2026-27 ski year, and then in March, we start our pre-sale ski for 2028. It's always a year out,” she said.

Other than Club Med Cancun and Punta Cana, all Club Med properties are typically 300 to 350 rooms, “so it's key to book early with us,” she said.

“We will push that pre-sale so people get the best room categories, at the best price, because it's a dynamic pricing. The price will keep climbing the longer people wait,” she said, noting that 96 per cent of Club Med’s sales are packages.

READ MORE: Club Med returns to U.S. shores with property in St. Croix

Club Med's all-inclusive mountain offering is substantial. The brand features 13 all-inclusive European Alps mountain resorts operating during the winter ski season across France, Italy and Switzerland.

Club Med also operates four all-inclusive ski resorts in Japan, all located on the northern island of Hokkaido

Air Canada’s new seasonal service from Vancouver to Sapporo, in Japan’s mountainous Hokkaido region, is expected to bring more Canadian travellers within reach of those Club Med resorts.

During his presentation, Tyler Mattioli, manager of new business development for Ontario and the Maritimes, highlighted European ski properties such as Val Thorens Sensations (2,300 meters above sea level!), Alpe d'Huez, La Plagne, Les Arcs Panorama, Grand Massif Samoëns Morillon, Peisey-Vallandry, La Rosière, Valmorel, Pragelato Sestriere, St. Moritz and Tignes.

It's a lucrative category for travel advisors.

Mattioli said ski packages for a family of four can average around $20,000, while Club Med pays commissions of up to 15 per cent.

He also shared that 50 per cent of Canadians travelling to the French Alps stay with Club Med.

What sets Club Med apart, in the mountains, is the all-inclusive simplicity, as PAX learned on a FAM with travel advisors and Mattioli at chalet-style Club Med Peisey-Vallandry in March.

Lift tickets, ski, snowboard (and snowshoe) lessons, meals, drinks and entertainment are all included. The only thing not included is equipment, which can easily be rented onsite.

Another thing travel advisors should know about Club Med is location, location, location.

In most of its destinations, Club Med is usually the first resort to establish a presence, often securing the most desirable land and views.

READ MORE: On Location: Tea & syrup parties in the forest? Summer at Club Med Charlevoix is as Canadian as it gets

At Peisey-Vallandry, for example, this means exceptional mountain access. Guests enjoy true ski-in, ski-out convenience, with the nearest lift just strides from the resort’s heated ski (locker) room.

It also sits in Paradiski – a vast, 420-kilometre ski domain (one of the largest in the world) that links the snow-laden areas of Peisey-Vallandry, Les Arcs, and La Plagne (Club Med has villages in all three, enabling shared privileges).

Sun sales “doing very well”

But of course, Club Med's strategy isn't only about snow. 

Asked by PAX about the state of sand and sun sales, Lowry said bookings for 2026 are strong, while 2027 is already pacing considerably ahead.

“We’re up 23 per cent in 2027 in Canada versus the same time last year,” she said. “We're focusing on Cancun, where renovations will wrap up mid-October.”

READ MORE: On Location: PAX unpacks Club Med’s €51M facelift at Buccaneer’s Creek & strategy for Canada

Another focus? Club Med Punta Cana, which has also been transformed (read more about it here), while Club Med Buccaneers Creek in Martinique is set to benefit from direct flights, offered out of Toronto, by Air Transat and Air Canada this winter.

Buccaneers, which PAX visited last year, is also opening a brand-new Zen Oasis adults‐only section, which will be completed this November.

Cancun gets a refresh

Natasha George, business development manager for Ontario and Western Canada, walked advisors through some of the biggest changes taking place at Club Med Cancun.

Updates include a new infinity-view pool overlooking the lagoon, a beachside lounge and bar and renovated Superior and Deluxe accommodations.

The family offering has also evolved. The kids' club has moved into the Family Oasis – also known as the Aguamarina section – and the resort now has a Baby Club, welcoming children from four months old.

A new Mayan-themed water park and splash pad have also been added, while pickleball joins the resort's extensive activity roster.

The upgrades reinforce Club Med Cancun's positioning as one of the company's family flagships.

Punta Cana's new look

George also highlighted Club Med Punta Cana, another family flagship and one of the brand's larger properties.

While resorts are often associated with traditional buffets—and Club Med does offer a marketplace-style version at its Hispaniola restaurant—the property has introduced a new dining concept called El Mundo.

It’s a food market that features multiple culinary stations spanning Mediterranean, Latin, Asian, American barbecue and seafood offerings.

The resort also offers an adults-only Zen Oasis area, giving adults a quieter enclave within the larger family-friendly property, and a new waterpark for kids. 

New Costa del Coco Deluxe Rooms, featuring a private balcony and a luxurious spa-like bathroom with a rain shower, were also added.

Punta Cana's Exclusive Collection offering includes larger accommodations designed for families, including options with separate sleeping spaces for children.

Miches mixes luxury & wellness

About an hour and 15 minutes from Punta Cana airport, on the Dominican Republic’s northern coast, is Club Med Miches Playa Esmeralda, the brand's first Exclusive Collection resort in North America.

For George, its secluded setting is a major part of its appeal.

“The first time when I went to Miches, I felt like we were on a secluded island,” she said.

Wellness is also central to the experience, with programming such as sound yoga and aerial yoga joining the resort's broader lineup of land and water activities.

The resort incorporates both family and adult-oriented areas. Accommodations range from spacious family rooms to La Perla suites and adults-only Archipelago suites near the ocean.

There's also a detail likely to get younger guests – and perhaps a few parents – excited: a secret chocolate room that opens twice weekly with chocolate, candy and a fountain.

Martinique's new Zen side

In the French Caribbean, Club Med is updating Buccaneer's Creek in Martinique, a property the Canadian team sees as an opportunity for the Ontario market.

As PAX reported last year, the lush property, which has an extensive watersports program of included activities, like water skiing – completed a 51-million-Euro project ($78.9M CAD) last year

And that resort is weeks away from opening an adults-only Zen pool, along with adults-only rooms and suites.

The palm tree-peppered property isn’t adults-only by definition, but with no kids club on site, younger guests tend to be few and far between.

Airlift opens doors in English Canada

Air access is becoming an increasingly important part of Club Med's Canadian growth strategy.

Lowry pointed specifically to Porter Airlines' expansion (in London and Hamilton, for example) and what that could mean for travellers outside of the traditional Toronto Pearson gateway.

“Porter is coming in strong with new flights to our destinations,” she said. “That's going to help us a lot.

Tremblant: “It’ll be a game changer”

One of the most significant pieces of Club Med's Canadian growth story, however, will unfold much closer to home.

Club Med Tremblant – on Tremblant’s Versant Soleil, on part of the L’Hymne-des-Trembles site – is targeted to open in December 2028, giving the company another Canadian mountain resort alongside Club Med Quebec Charlevoix, which opened in December 2021. 

Lowry told PAX that a ribbon-cutting event will take place this October, after which construction will begin.

“It’s a brand-new build,” she said. “It's going to be a four-season resort, like Charlevoix, with 300 rooms.

The four-season model is significant.

Rather than functioning solely as a ski property, Tremblant will be positioned for year-round demand, while meeting space will give Club Med an opportunity to attract groups and corporate business during traditionally quieter periods, Lowry said.

And while Charlevoix established Club Med's mountain-resort presence in Canada, Tremblant puts the product considerably closer to the Ontario market Club Med is working hard to develop.

Asked how she expects Ontario travellers to respond, Lowry didn't hesitate.

“It’ll be a game changer. Everybody in Ontario knows Tremblant," she said. 

What makes Club Med different?

Lowry used the evening to drill down on the characteristics Club Med believes distinguish it in an increasingly crowded all-inclusive market.

One is its G.O.s ("Gentle Organizers”) – the brand's international resort staff who function not simply as employees, but as hosts, entertainers, sports instructors and ambassadors.

“They're much more than staff. They're the hosts, the entertainers, the sports experts,” Lowry said.

Another is Club Med's approach to families.

Kids' programming can extend from four months to 17 years of age, depending on the resort, and integrates children into sports, activities and other experiences.

“What does that give the parents? A real vacation,” Lowry said.

Sports are another cornerstone. Resorts can offer between 20 and 25 land and water sports, Lowry said, with certified G.O.s providing instruction.

The brand’s outdoor activities, such as sailing, archery, biking, and even circus school – the line-up varies between properties – is known to earn high praise from kids and teens.

Food, meanwhile, is positioned around quality rather than simply offering a long list of restaurants.

“If you've ever met someone that's gone to Club Med, they will definitely talk about how well they ate,” Lowry said.

Club Med also wants to shake off the idea that it remains predominantly a French product.

“Yes, our worldwide headquarters are in Paris, but we're not a French product. We are a multicultural product,” Lowry told advisors.

While French may be the language you hear most often at Club Meds (especially in France), it’s far from the only one.

Italian, German, Spanish, English, and others mingle in the air, creating a lively atmosphere and sense of togetherness.

Anglophones get by just fine at Club Med. The G.O.s, who come from all over the world, speak at least two languages (one of which must be English).

Sicily, Club Med style

Mattioli took the movie overseas, starting with one property that clearly has his heart: Club Med Cefalù in Sicily.

“This is heaven on earth. It’s one of my favourite properties that's ever existed,” Mattioli said.

The Exclusive Collection resort is about 50 to 60 minutes from Palermo and roughly a 15-minute walk from the town of Cefalù, creating a proposition that Mattioli said can challenge assumptions about staying at an all-inclusive in Europe.

Guests can use the resort as a base for exploring Sicily, and unlike traditional seven-night all-inclusive packages, stays aren't locked into a full week.

“Book two nights, and it's a great intro to the brand,” Mattioli said.

The food received its own starring role, with Mattioli enthusiastically recalling pistachio, bocconcini, fresh focaccia, stone-oven pizza and Italian gelato.

Marrakech and beyond

Club Med Marrakech was another international standout last night. 

While there may be no ocean in the Moroccan city, the resort has been designed as an oasis, with extensive pools and water features alongside golf, family facilities and an Exclusive Collection space.

Its proximity to Marrakech's souks and markets – about a 10-minute ride away – allows guests to combine the resort experience with the destination's culture.

The advisor opportunity

Beyond the resort eye candy, Mattioli closed with numbers that gave advisors something else to chew on.

The average Club Med guest is 40 years old, he said, while 45.5 per cent are families and 33.5 per cent are couples.

“We are family-centric,” he said. “It has changed a lot over the last 25 years.”

He also cited a 92.3 per cent guest satisfaction rate and said 84 per cent of customers return to Club Med.

The company used the evening to promote its Club Med Travel Agent program, which offers loyalty points, preferred advisor rates, resort benefits, marketing support and opportunities to participate in FAM trips.

“We have a lot of FAMs coming up,” he said.

The response was so positive last night that Lowry hinted that Club Med is looking at ways to expand its annual trade event in Ontario.  

“We're already talking about next year – or maybe at the end of this year. We may take it on the road and do two events,” she said.  

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