This is of course should not relax its efforts

Stubbornness is a virtue that has its place in the world of business. This is already five years, under the chairmanship of Philippe Bourguignon and in a landscape of tourism devastated by the aftermath of September 11, 2001, Club Mediterranee began rising in range of its fleet of villages. That is already two and a half years as his successor, Henri Giscard d'Estaing, has radicalized the approach, and launched the redefinition of all the parameters of its offer of holiday, in coherence with the clientele for high income erect absolute priority. Great program, but Sisyphus condemned by the gods into a rock at the top of Mount Olympus to see down the slope and start over, the Club seems engaged in a challenge without end.

From 2001 to 2005, he lived with his competitors a succession of disasters due to the madness of men and nature. Attacks in war, the tsunami in hurricanes, there were what break all six months any hope of resumption of tourism. The recent semesters have been quiet on these fronts and assets on the site of the reinvention of the concept. They have stopped the decline without causing the expected catch-up. Henri Giscard d'Estaing publishes its results 2005-2006, closed October 31 in a week. They are expected, as last year, more stimulated by the products of real estate portfolio that evidence on the actual rise of the slope.

The Club is in this situation familiar to experts in marketing where the highest marks, subject to intense competition or sudden shocks, appear to be frozen on the decay. This is of course should not relax its efforts. Until customers perceive the renewal, adhere in sufficient numbers and make their own promotion. It is not yet there, but on the merits, no one disputes the merits of strategic choice. The bipolarization of the tourism market, underground before, evident after September 11, also limited the risk of being wrong. On one side for which the price will always be the first criterion of purchase and customers who find their happiness in industry for the travel of type "low cost". The other those who have the means to assume their expectations of quality, service, holiday card. Switch to a click of marmara, the site of the champion of the small stay in small prices, clubmed, to verify that there is an abyss as deep a Leclerc and the Bon Marché, now between the two, a contrario of the sign, the more expensive of Parisian stores and chic.

If it still lacks a volume effect, the Club scored some decisive points. For a number of clients stabilized, and no longer in decline, its turnover begins to rise again. Betting on the price elasticity is therefore being earned, even if the demonstration is stronger on the season of winter, so skiing, on summer stays. In three years, the proportion of French customers who belong to the 20 of households having the highest income the Top 20 in the jargon of segmentation rose from 63 to over 90. Club notes that satisfaction scores range from record by record. The renovation of the Park is very advanced at a price of EUR 1 billion of investment and accordion on capabilities a coup. In five years, the number of villages from 120 to about 90, 70 have been renovated, 50 closed and a 20 open again. End of 2008, the home of three and four tridents standards update will be completed. Most importantly, the genetic code of the Club has been rewritten. Finish the limited access to adults, often single, with all fantasies and releases have been associated. Villages are now large open to families, grandparents, young children and teens understood and designed to facilitate the restoration, the activities in the service of the Chambers, the personal choice rather than collective.

But the high is an unstable concept. It has neither the brutality of the discount, or obviousness of the luxury. It must constantly provide evidence of its difference, without excess of price, or cost slippages. The "bar & snacking" included is the type of these innovations that have the air of nothing and that maintain the advantage. Introduced in America in 2003, and then as an option in Europe in 2004, the integration package stay in all drinks, aperitifs and other "appetizers" has been such a success that it has been generalized this summer in the villages around the world. This return to the sources of everything-including making a budget holiday, really predictable is a powerful factor for customer satisfaction. The operation is profitable bonus, his remaining very lower cost included in the package price supplement. It is especially difficult if not impossible to reproduce by hotels that competition the Club and where mingle of multiple clients.

And this is where the Sisyphean effort becomes paid. Attract and retain a customer selected, it is an essential prerequisite. Dresser on its strategic concept of difficult enough to cross barriers, it is even better.

Ultimately, Henri Giscard d'Estaing intends to rebuild the Club Med world specialist of a type of vacation, friendly, family, refined à la carte, open cultures of the world, and that it is the only one able to arrange, in all seasons, on all continents.

It is yet to mid-slope. After you convert the French customer, you have to work the Italian market, where these are the Top 4 of the highest income who are targeted. With the reopening there fifteen days of the village of Mexico, the reconquest of the North American customer Cancun, this time by the Top 30 that weigh nearly 30 million homes, has just started. Each time, the rock to raise seems always also heavy. But HGE reserve of assets that the effort worthwhile.

The first is historic. Since end of 2005, it already delivers its real estate assets to invest resources and benefits that address the lack of growth, yielding property of villages to investors to focus on their operation. Beyond this management active but not extensible at infinity, are especially the reserves of the Club which he opened opportunities. Cancun in Marrakech, from Bali to Martinique, the Malaysia in the Maldives, he holds sites of exception, to landscapes which are among the most beautiful world, often from sea fronts where shake each other competitors. A "village" extends on average 15 to 20 hectares, three to four times more than a luxury hotel. More time passes, these spaces will legitimize high claim of range in suitable capacity extensions. In the wake of the villages of villas or apartments of high standing Club is creating the Brazil and Mauritius with developers partners, projects are underway on surfaces available in Guadeloupe (La Caravelle) and Dominican Republic (Punta Cana).

The second asset is geographical. The reinvention of the Club advance almost alone in Asia. With 11 of its 12 villages in the region to its "four tridents" standards, it is same in advance, and regional clientele has no known benefits and premium rates. Between embryonic competition and a stream of rich households, the potential is enormous. In the countries of the Chinese diaspora, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, and especially in China itself which has just opened its borders to its citizens. Henri Giscard d'Estaing noted that the 4,000 first Chinese GM have been recruited as fast as the first 4,000 French GM fifty-five years ago! As of 2007, nationals of South-East Asia will exceed the English and German cohorts met. With the Indian market in the background, the Club could find the conditions of its golden age in the region. And a snowball effect that compensate for the energy will continue to spend in the West. It must imagine Sisyphus happy, said Albert Camus. This is not Henri Giscard d'Estaing who contradict.