WHY IT RATES: Solidifying the promise that accompanies Club Med's current mountain development strategy, the upcoming Club Med Québec Charlevoix will be the first four-seasons mountain resort in the French brand's worldwide portfolio and its first Canadian offering. - Laurie Baratti, TravelPulse Associate Writer
During his visit to Québec City, President of Club Med, Henri Giscard d'Estaing, unveiled new images of the interior of the future Club Med Québec Charlevoix, the first Club Med resort in Canada and the brand's first four-seasons mountain resort. The new facility will open in December 2021.
A resort that celebrates the Charlevoix region
More than ever, Club Med showed its support for local culture in the images of the future Québec Charlevoix resort's dining areas. Each location is part of a storyline based on the Charlevoix region's natural and cultural riches. In the main restaurant, guests will find an extensive buffet presented like a large local market. The different dining rooms will evoke the region's natural, maritime and agricultural heritage, featuring a range of environments, from the amber colors of wheat fields before the harvest, to shades of blue that recall the locally constructed schooner L'Accalmie, which famously ran aground in Baie-St-Paul.
In its specialties restaurant, Club Med will feature a Gourmet Lounge with a menu that changes throughout the day. In an intimate and cozy environment, visitors will feel like special guests in the chef's chalet, where they will be able to savor reinvented Quebec delicacies while enjoying a magnificent view of the Saint Lawrence River.
The design concept was developed with architecture and design firm Lemay Michaud in order to meet the expectations of guests looking for curated experiences while immersing themselves in the region.
"I am happy to present new images of the interior of the future Club Med Québec Charlevoix. From the beginning of the project, our teams and partners have been working on preparing an unmatched mountain vacation experience that showcases the character of Quebec and the Charlevoix region as much as possible," said Henri Giscard d'Estaing, President of Club Med. "For over 60 years, Club Med has successfully operated its mountain resorts using a unique vacation model. As our first four-seasons resort, Club Med Québec Charlevoix will mark a new stage in our expertise. What is more, the future resort will be harmoniously integrated into the region, in addition to driving economic development in Charlevoix."
A future resort that is part of a long term strategy
With the opening of one new mountain destination per year, Club Med is continuing its four-seasons mountain strategy. Club Med Québec Charlevoix marks the official beginning of a mountain experience that shifts as the seasons change. This approach is made possible by the development of the activities offered by Le Massif de Charlevoix.
The resort will be positioned at the center of major tourism trends, especially with respect to family-oriented vacations. Indeed, family travel is projected to increase by 25 percent by 2022, and millennials are set to account for a large portion of this growth.
Tourist attractions must be able to satisfy a number of target audiences and offer experiences dedicated to them. This will be the case with the Club Med resort in Charlevoix, which will offer vacations that meet the needs of multi-generational families, as well as couples and groups.
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Economic spin-offs for the region and effective environmental integration
The vision shared by Club Med and its partner Groupe Le Massif is that of a resort that will generate significant economic spin-offs for the region. The project will attract an average of 50,000 customers per year, of which half will be Canadian. In the context of this sustainable increase in tourism, Club Med is working with its local partners to offer unique vacation experiences that will be an exploration of the Charlevoix region.
Furthermore, in order to honor Club Med's commitment to the environment and sustainable development, the resort aims to secure BREEAM certification, which evaluates the environmental performance of buildings. The building's bioclimatic design and small footprint make it a good candidate for this certification.
The resort will also seek Green Globe certification, which will strengthen Club Med's efforts to reduce its environmental footprint as much as possible.
The recently opened Michès Playa Esmeralda resort in the Dominican Republic also provides an example of responsible integration in the context of BREEAM and Green Globe certification. Indeed, even the staff uniform at this resort is made entirely of recycled plastic. The resort also contributes to the development of the local economy.
Results and developments
While individuals will be able to make bookings at Club Med Québec Charlevoix by the end of this year, the brand is already performing very well in Canada, with revenues from Canadian customers visiting Club Med mountain resorts tripling. This reveals the appeal this type of holiday has for Canadians.
Note that reservations for corporate visits involving more than 20 adults or 10 rooms are once again possible through the website dedicated to groups: https://en.meetings-events-clubmed.ca.
The brand is continuing its mountain development, offering a new 4 Tridents resort with the La Rosière Exclusive Collection Luxury Space in the San Bernardo Franco-Italian ski hills as of December 2020. Club Med has not forgotten about its seaside resorts either, as is demonstrated by the reopening of the 4 Tridents La Palmyre resort on the coast of the French Atlantic in June 2020 and the opening of a new Exclusive Collection resort in the Seychelles in October 2020.
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