Club Med’s new UK managing director outlines trade strategy

Jérémie Hoss, Club Med’s new managing director for the UK, has vowed to work closely with the trade as he seeks to strengthen the all-inclusive resort specialist’s fastest-growing distribution channel.

 

Hoss, who took over from Nicolas Bresch on July 20, said fam trips would play a central role in his strategy, revealing they were the basis of his “first question” to Jemma Bridges, who leads trade sales in the UK.

 

“The more agents experience Club Med, the better they will understand its value and the more confidently they will recommend it. Fam trips will be a key lever,” he said.

 

Hoss, who has been with Club Med for more than a decade, most recently working from Rio de Janeiro, said he was supportive of Bridges’ ambition to operate 18 fam trips this year, up from 12 in 2025.

 

“I want our partners to discover our product because I’m pretty confident they will be proud of it and sell it with confidence,” he added.

 

He confirmed fam trips would be organised for the South Africa resort, which opened last month, as well as the upcoming Borneo resort.

 

While the bulk of demand from the UK has traditionally been for Club Med’s winter resorts, Hoss said he hopes travel agents will help encourage sales for sun destinations.

 

“We have beautiful resorts in some of the most beautiful places around the world,” he added.

 

The company is investing in its online tools to ensure agents can make “hassle-free” bookings, he said.

 

“We’re investing a lot in our digital transformation by offering new tools so all our partners can access information when they need it and sell a product in the best possible way with ease,” he added.

 

Trade sales in the first half of the year grew by 14% compared with the same period of 2025, Hoss said.

 

“It’s the channel with the fastest growth, showing our desire to expand our relations with travel agents,” he added.

 

Asked about any plans to expand the trade-facing team in the UK, Hoss said he was working to make sure the “right resources” are in place.

 

He noted Bridges’ promotion earlier this year and said an additional key account manager would be joining soon, adding: “It’s a very tangible demonstration of our commitment to develop the trade and I’ll evaluate our capacity to continue expanding this strategy, because I have the strong ambition to recruit new customers everywhere in the UK. So we will probably need to reinforce our presence in certain regions.”

 

He said Club Med has managed to navigate the Middle East conflict by redirecting travellers westwards, pointing to growth in the Caribbean of more than 20%.

 

Demand for the Seychelles and Mauritius has dropped slightly as some clients opt to avoid flight connections in the Middle East or the Indian Ocean, he added.

 

Club Med will unveil a brand campaign in October focused on sun destinations as it aims to build awareness of its offering.

 

“We need to continue modernising the perception of Club Med,” Hoss said. “Some consumers know our heritage but they don’t know how much the product has evolved.”

 

The tour operator, which currently has 66 resorts, is aiming to have a 100-strong portfolio by 2035.

 

In addition to the UK, Hoss also has responsibility for north Europe and South Africa.

 

Bresch left Club Med to take up another opportunity in the travel industry in mainland Europe, a spokesperson for Club Med said.