June 9, 2026 — 5:00am
Since the 1970s, Club Med has occupied a specific place in the imagination: sunny, sociable and spirited, built around buffets, kids’ clubs and a carefree, all-in holiday spirit.
That version still exists, but it is no longer the whole picture.
An artist’s impression of the new Club Med South Africa Beach & Safari resort. With its acquisition by the Chinese Fosun Tourism Group in 2015, the once French-owned Club Med began going upmarket, moving away from its more basic roots towards premium and luxury all-inclusive resorts designed from the ground up.
It also began expanding into new destinations, including South Africa, Borneo and Oman, with properties built around more immersive, experience-led travel.
The most ambitious of these is the Club Med South Africa Beach & Safari resort, opening in July this year. It marks the brand’s first entry into the country and introduces a dual-location concept: a beach resort on KwaZulu-Natal’s Dolphin Coast paired with a private safari lodge in a Big Five reserve.
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An artist’s impression of accommodation at the new African resort. Guests split their stay between the two, combining coastal downtime with guided game drives – all folded into the all-inclusive model.
It’s a similar approach for Club Med Borneo, set to open in late 2026, with excursions ranging from orangutan rehabilitation centres to river safaris and snorkelling trips. Sustainability is central, with the resort built to BREEAM standards from inception – a first for Club Med in Asia.
Further out, Club Med Musandam in Oman, due in 2028, is part of its top-tier Exclusive Collection, combining wellness, cultural immersion and a more refined resort experience.
Australians, it seems, are along for the ride.
“Forward sales for 2026 are up 23 per cent compared to last year, with new guests increasing by almost 5 per cent,” says Michelle Davies, general manager for Club Med Pacific. “It demonstrates that more Australians are choosing all-inclusive holidays as their preferred way to travel.”
Club Med Phuket. The appeal is not hard to understand. In an environment where travel costs can be elevated and unpredictable, the all-inclusive model offers a level of clarity.
“With one upfront cost covering accommodation, dining, activities, entertainment and Kids’ Clubs, guests have full clarity from the outset and avoid the risk of unexpected expenses at the end of their stay,” Davies says. “In the current economic climate, this level of certainty is particularly valuable.”
Rather than pulling back on travel, Australians appear to be adapting how they do it.
“There is a clear shift towards ease, proximity and peace of mind, with destinations closer to home across Asia becoming increasingly appealing,” Davies says.
Club Med Tomamu in in Hokkaido. That trend is reflected in Club Med’s own data, with 80 per cent of website traffic focused on Asia sun destinations such as Bali and Bintan in Indonesia and Phuket, Thailand, alongside Japan’s ski resorts.
Booking momentum remains strong, with a 15 per cent increase in Phuket bookings since early March, and significant growth in Bintan and Phuket for 2026.
Japan ski holidays, in particular, are strong. Forward sales are up 32 per cent, with Club Med Tomamu in Hokkaido emerging as the standout property for Australians.
At the same time, travel patterns are evolving.
Multi-generational holidays are on the rise, with forward sales up 56 per cent for 2026, as families look for ways to travel together across age groups. Shorter, closer-to-home trips are increasingly paired with longer itineraries, while what Club Med describes as the “slow return effect” – ending a trip with a few days of rest in an easy, resort-style setting – is becoming more common.
Older properties remain in Club Med’s portfolio, and the gap between legacy resorts and newer builds can be significant.
But across the board, Club Med is clearly appealing to Australian travellers and the way they want to travel today.
See clubmed.com.au
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Read the full article at The Age →
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