The 1980s brought a number of changes to the organization of Club Méditerranée. The most significant occurred in 1982. That year, the Club was divided into geographic sectors (or zones) with the opening of offices abroad: Europe/Africa (Paris), North America/Caribbean (New York), South America (Rio de Janeiro), and Asia/Pacific (Singapore and Tokyo). Club Méditerranée also changed its name during this decade, becoming Club Med.
In the late 1980s, the Opio resort opened near Grasse after overcoming numerous difficulties. Soon after, the Club Med One was launched, the first sailing cruise ship with five masts, boasting revolutionary technology for its time. Twenty-two years after the Ivan Franko's initial voyage, the Club Med flag once again flew the oceans. At that point, Club Med had 120 resorts worldwide.
Unfortunately, the 1990s brought this momentum to a halt and completely transformed Club Med. Gérard Blitz, the founding father of Club Med, passed away on March 3, 1990. On February 9, 1992, the club was once again struck by tragedy. A Convair plane belonging to the Gambian airline Gamcrest, a subcontractor of Air Senegal, carrying Club Med guests to Cap Skirring, crashed about fifty kilometers north of the village. The disaster claimed 30 lives and left a lasting impact.
Club Med, until then the undisputed leader in holiday villages, saw its market share decline in favor of the competition. Tour operators copied Club Med, offering cheaper stays with all-inclusive packages, a feature Club Med did not provide. In 1991, however, Club Med acquired Club Aquarius and its airline subsidiary, Air Liberté. The aim was to expand its offerings and provide more attractive prices. Some Club Med villages were thus rebranded as Club Aquarius (Leysin, Puerto Maria, etc.), but this lasted only a few years.
Club Med also has to take into account the tensions prevailing in certain regions of the world. The Gulf War, which began in 1991, the rise of terrorism in Egypt, and the conflict in Israel are not helping matters financially.
In 1993, to the great surprise of many, Serge Trigano was appointed CEO by Gilbert, replacing Jean Robert Reznik. The handover of power between father and son took place in the village of Agadir before more than 1,000 GOs (Gentils Organisateurs - Club Med guests). The transition was not easy, and the financial losses for the 1993 fiscal year were significant. The following years did not bring the hoped-for turnaround, despite efforts to get things back on track.
The grand and beautiful story is coming to an end. We are now entering another world where tourism, competition, conflicts, stock markets, and shareholders dictate the rules. 1997 marks the beginning of a new chapter.
Videos
1989: Club Med's 40th Anniversary Celebration in Opio.
Edited by Gérard Decosterd (Pigeon).
Archive: Cinémathèque Collierbar
1993 - Villages in Nature
Archive: Gérard DECOSTERD (Pigeon)
Collierbar Film Library
Agadir Seminar 1994.
Excerpts compiled by Gérard Decosterd (Pigeon).
Collierbar Cinematheque Archive.
