Club Med, the French hospitality operator known for its all-inclusive packages, is planning to launch its first Gulf resort in Oman.
The luxury resort will be located in Salalah, on the southern coast of Oman. An agreement was signed between the Oman-based Muriya Tourism Development company and Club Med on Monday. An opening date for the resort has yet to be finalised.
"The brand reached its peak in the 1970s and 1980s, where it virtually reached the household brand [name] status in France, as well as more generally in Europe and in the US," said Chiheb Ben Mahmoud, the senior vice president at Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels Middle East and North Africa.
He said the Club Med concept was based on all-inclusive packages with "participative entertainment and staged interaction" between guests and teams of Club Med sport and entertainment leaders.
"Despite its challenges in the new financial market landscape, the Club Med brand potential is very strong and the association with Oman and Salalah should be a win-win situation," Mr Mahmoud added.
Club Med said it would bring "fun and sophistication" to the Salalah Beach development and "will offer all the best of the Club Med offer".
Muriya has also signed agreements with Rotana and Movenpick resorts as part of the wider development.
Club Med was founded in 1950 by the former Belgian water polo champion Gerard Blitz and the French businessman Gilbert Trigano. It now has about 80 resorts in 40 countries, 1.2 million clients and 15,000 employees, the company said.
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The drill
Recharge as needed, says Mat Dryden: “We try to make it a rule that every two to three months, even if it’s for four days, we get away, get some time together, recharge, refresh.” The couple take an hour a day to check into their businesses and that’s it.
Stick to the schedule, says Mike Addo: “We have an entire wall known as ‘The Lab,’ covered with colour-coded Post-it notes dedicated to our joint weekly planner, content board, marketing strategy, trends, ideas and upcoming meetings.”
Be a team, suggests Addo: “When training together, you have to trust in each other’s abilities. Otherwise working out together very quickly becomes one person training the other.”
Pull your weight, says Thuymi Do: “To do what we do, there definitely can be no lazy member of the team.”
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if you go
The flights
Emirates offer flights to Buenos Aires from Dubai, via Rio De Janeiro from around Dh6,300. emirates.com
Seeing the games
Tangol sell experiences across South America and generally have good access to tickets for most of the big teams in Buenos Aires: Boca Juniors, River Plate, and Independiente. Prices from Dh550 and include pick up and drop off from your hotel in the city. tangol.com
Staying there
Tangol will pick up tourists from any hotel in Buenos Aires, but after the intensity of the game, the Faena makes for tranquil, upmarket accommodation. Doubles from Dh1,110. faena.com