Club Med Invests €30 Million to Renovate Gregolimano Resort in Evia

The Club Med group is considering expanding its presence in the Greek tourism market and eyeing Greece as a prime destination. This was revealed by the Chairman of Club Méditerranée SA, Henri Giscard d'Estaing, during the official inauguration ceremony of the Club Med Gregolimano in northern Evia.

This is the only Club Med resort currently operating in Greece (it's worth noting that Club Med had a significant presence in several destinations in the 1970s and 1980s, such as Corfu, Halkidiki, Crete, and Rhodes).

As he characteristically stated, Greece is on its way to becoming a "first-class" tourist destination. Speaking to Capital.gr, he emphasized that the company's plans include opening additional units, ideally near airports, for easy accessibility. However, there are no specific announcements at this time. Giscard d'Estaing expressed considerable optimism about the future of Greek tourism.

It is worth noting that a significant investment of €30 million was completed this year at the Club Med Gregolimano to expand and upgrade its facilities. This investment involved the creation of 27-30 new bungalows with a total capacity of 74-80 rooms (148-160 beds), the construction of a spa, the expansion of the restaurant, two new swimming pools, the expansion of staff rooms with the creation of buildings to house 74-80 additional employees, the complete renovation of all existing hotel rooms, the renovation of existing common areas, and energy upgrades.

Club Med, also known as Club Méditerranée, was founded in 1950 by the Belgian Gérard Blitz and was the first to introduce the all-inclusive holiday model. Its first resort was in the Balearic Islands. It is known for its various activities, such as sailing, diving, tennis, and skiing. Since the late 2000s, the French group has upgraded its offerings, focusing on luxury destinations and services and targeting new markets, such as Asia. In 2015, it was acquired by the Chinese Fosun Group. Internationally, it has a presence in more than 40 countries, with 65 hotels, 1.5 million visitors per year, and an annual turnover of around €1.7 billion.

Club Med had a long-standing presence in Greece, one of the first international tourism organizations to develop activities there. However, after 2000, its presence in Greece shrank, resulting in the closure of its resorts, except for the one in northern Evia.