Club Med SAS , commonly known as Club Med and previously known as Club Méditerranée SA , is a French travel and tourism operator headquartered in Paris , specializing in all-inclusive holidays. Founded in 1950, the company has been primarily owned by the Chinese conglomerate Fosun Group since 2013. Club Med either wholly owns or operates nearly eighty all-inclusive resort villages in holiday locations around the world.
81-561: The club was founded in 1950 by Belgian entrepreneur Gérard Blitz . Blitz had opened a low-priced summer colony of tents on the Spanish island of Majorca , followed by another on the island of Djerba (Tunisia). A better entertainer than businessman, Blitz went bankrupt in 1953. His main creditor was his tent supplier Gilbert Trigano, the French "King of Camping;" Trigano took control of the club and slowly pushed Blitz aside. The first official Club Med
162-448: A 28.9% stake in the French all-inclusive holidays' company Club Méditerranée . In 2005, Gilles Pélisson , nephew of Accor's co-founder Gérard Pélisson , became chairman and CEO. The investment firm Colony Capital invested 1 billion euros in Accor. The firm sold its shares of Club Med in 2006 and Red Roof Inn in 2007. In 2007, Accor launched the serviced-apartments brand Adagio in
243-553: A 50/50 venture with Pierre & Vacances , relaunched Pullman as a premium hotel brand, and the Australian All Seasons as a global midscale hotel brand. In 2008, it launched the MGallery collection of upscale "personality" hotels. In November 2010, Gilles Pélisson was replaced by Denis Hennequin as the head of Accor. Accor split its hotel activities from its voucher activities, Accor Services (which became Edenred and
324-650: A bath-room, and based her at the Buccaneer's Creek village in Martinique for one-day to several day cruises. Huge success among members, so, in 1976, it bought the huge sailing boat built by solo sailor Alain Colas, who had just lost the Solo Transatlantic Race Plymouth-Newport to his enemy Eric Tabarly. It renamed it Club Médiderranée and based it in Martinique for 2-3-day cruises. Another huge success, so,
405-627: A comprehensive collection of books about the Balearic Islands, consisting of 7 volumes. It took him 22 years to complete. Nowadays, several streets or buildings on the island are named after him (i.e., Arxiduc Lluís Salvador ). The Polish composer and pianist Frédéric Chopin , together with French writer Amantine Lucile Aurore Dupin (pseudonym: George Sand ), resided in Valldemossa in the winter of 1838–39. Apparently, Chopin's health had already deteriorated and his doctor recommended that he go to
486-512: A high number of expats choosing to settle down in the area, Mallorca has recently also become a business hub economy of its own, due to a high number of particularly foreign enterprises choosing to either relocate, or expand, to the island. Attempts to build illegally caused a scandal in 2006 in Port Andratx that the newspaper El País named "caso Andratx". A main reason for illegal building permits, corruption and black market construction
567-525: A landscape characterised by a series of mountain ranges. The highest peak, Puig Major , stands at approximately 1,445 meters (4,741 feet) above sea level. Other notable peaks include Puig de Massanella , Puig Tomir , Puig de l'Ofre , and Puig des Teix , all exceeding 1,000 meters (3,280 feet) in elevation. These mountains are part of the Serra de Tramuntana range with numerous peaks over 1,000 meters, offering opportunities for hiking and exploration with views of
648-703: A relationship with Chopin , described her stay in Mallorca in A Winter in Majorca , published in 1855. Other famous writers used Mallorca as the setting for their works. While on the island, the Nicaraguan poet Rubén Darío started writing the novel El oro de Mallorca , and wrote several poems, such as La isla de oro . The poet Miquel Costa i Llobera wrote in 1875 his famous ode, the Pine of Formentor , as well as other poems concerning old Mallorcan traditions and fantasies. Many of
729-656: A resort and enjoyed his stay. With Rothschild financing, the number of villages increased greatly under Trigano's leadership from 1963 to 1993. Winter villages, providing skiing and winter sports tuition, were introduced in 1956 at Leysin , Switzerland. In 1965, the first club outside the Mediterranean was opened in Tahiti . Club Med broadened its reach by opening villages in the French Caribbean (Guadeloupe and Martinique). Originally attracting mainly singles and young couples,
810-602: A strategic alliance with the China Lodging Group ( Huazhu Hotels Group - 1900 hotels) to develop its hotel brands in China. In June 2015, Accor changed its name to AccorHotels and announced a new digital strategy to federate its brands. The firm acquired FRHI Hotels & Resorts in 2015, owner of the Fairmont , Raffles , and Swissôtel luxury hotels. In 2016, AccorHotels acquired the concierge and loyalty service John Paul,
891-510: A takeover deal of Club Méditerranée S.A. The acquisition culminated a bidding war that began in May 2013, which was conducted by Gaillon, a special investment vehicle used by Fosun, to execute its bidding for Club Med. The two-year-long war boosted the price of the company from the initial €541 million "friendly bid" in 2013 up to the final sale price of €939 million ($ 1.07 billion). Gaillon Invest's chairman, Jiannong Qian, believes that Chinese ownership of
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#1733084983285972-839: Is " La Balanguera ". Like the other Balearic Islands of Menorca , Ibiza , and Formentera , the island is a highly popular holiday destination, particularly for tourists from the Netherlands , Germany , and the United Kingdom . The international airport, Palma de Mallorca Airport , is one of the busiest in Spain; it was used by 28 million passengers in 2017, with use increasing every year between 2012 and 2017. The name derives from Classical Latin insula maior , "larger island". Later, in Medieval Latin , this became Maiorca , "the larger one", in comparison to Menorca , "the smaller one". This
1053-459: Is a quasi-commercial for the now-closed Club Med village in the U.S. ski resort at Copper Mountain , Colorado . The 1986 ABC TV movie Club Med stars Jack Scalia and Linda Hamilton as a Club Med manager and guest, respectively, who fall in love. In 2004, a Korean TV drama broadcast by MBC titled First Love of a Royal Prince was filmed in Club Med Bali, Sahoro, and Bora Bora . In
1134-484: Is golden and very thin. The Cultural Landscape of the Serra de Tramuntana was registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2011. The island (including the small offshore islands of Cabrera and Dragonera) is administratively divided into 53 municipalities. The areas and populations of the municipalities (according to the Instituto Nacional de Estadística , Spain) are: Mallorca is the most populous island in
1215-625: Is headquartered in Issy-les-Moulineaux , France, and is a constituent of the CAC Next 20 index on the Paris stock exchange. In 1967, Paul Dubrule and Gérard Pélisson founded the hospitality group Société d'investissement et d'exploitation hôteliers (SIEH) and opened the first Novotel hotel outside Lille in northern France. In 1974, the first Ibis hotel was launched in Bordeaux , France. Ibis
1296-480: Is rugged and has many cliffs. The central zone, extending from Palma, is a generally flat, fertile plain known as Es Pla . The island has a variety of caves both above and below the sea – two of the caves, the above sea level Coves dels Hams and the Coves del Drach , also contain underground lakes and are open to tours. Both are located near the eastern coastal town of Porto Cristo . Small uninhabited islands lie off
1377-575: Is taking full ownership of SBE's Hotel assets (except Hudson Hotel in New York and Delano in Miami) as part of its simplification and asset-light strategy. It introduced Mövenpick Living as an extension of Mövenpick brand for extended stay segment. The company announced its strategic plan to focus on lifestyle hospitality. In 2021, Accor introduced the SPAC Accor Acquisition Company (AAC) on
1458-409: Is that communities have few ways to finance themselves other than through permits. The former mayor was incarcerated in 2009 after being prosecuted for taking bribes to permit illegal house building. Data from Institute of Statistics of Balearic Islands The Balearic Islands, of which Mallorca forms part, are one of the autonomous communities of Spain . As a whole , they are currently governed by
1539-617: Is the following: The Phoenicians , a seafaring people from the Levant , arrived around the eighth century BC and established numerous colonies. The island eventually came under the control of Carthage in North Africa, which had become the principal Phoenician city. After the Second Punic War , Carthage lost all of its overseas possessions and the Romans took over. The island was occupied by
1620-675: Is the largest hospitality company in Europe, and the sixth largest hospitality company worldwide. Accor operates 5,584 locations in over 110 countries. Its total capacity is approximately 821,518 rooms (end 2023). It owns and operates brands in many segments of hospitality: Luxury ( Raffles , Fairmont , Sofitel ), premium ( MGallery , Pullman , Swissôtel ), midscale ( Novotel , Mercure , Adagio ), and economy ( ibis , hotelF1 ). Accor also owns companies specialized in digital hospitality and event organization, such as onefinestay , D-Edge, ResDiary, John Paul, Potel & Chabot and Wojo. The company
1701-577: Is the largest of the Balearic Islands , which are part of Spain , and the seventh largest island in the Mediterranean Sea . The capital of the island, Palma , is also the capital of the autonomous community of the Balearic Islands. The Balearic Islands have been an autonomous region of Spain since 1983. There are two small islands off the coast of Mallorca: Cabrera (southeast of Palma) and Dragonera (west of Palma). The anthem of Mallorca
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#17330849832851782-665: The European Union , especially from Africa and South America. In September 2019, A 3,200-year-old well-preserved Bronze Age sword was discovered by archaeologists under the leadership of Jaume Deya and Pablo Galera on the Mallorca Island in the Puigpunyent from the stone megaliths site called Talaiot . Specialists assumed that the weapon was made when the Talaiotic culture was in critical decline. The sword will be on display at
1863-604: The Mediterranean . While not towering in comparison to some mountain ranges globally, the Mallorcan mountains provide visitors with diverse outdoor experiences and panoramic views of the island's rugged terrain and coastline. Mallorca is the largest island of Spain by area and second most populated (after Tenerife in the Canary Islands ). Mallorca has two mountainous regions, the Serra de Tramuntana and Serres de Llevant. Both are about 70 km (43 mi) in length and occupy
1944-498: The Muslims improved agriculture with irrigation and developed local industries. The caliphate was dismembered in 1015. Mallorca came under rule by the Taifa of Dénia , and from 1087 to 1114, was an independent Taifa . During that period, the island was visited by Ibn Hazm . However, an expedition of Pisans and Catalans in 1114–15 , led by Ramon Berenguer III, Count of Barcelona , overran
2025-689: The Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts (84 hotels in 27 countries), and the restaurant reservation and table management company ResDiary. AccorHotels partnered with Katara Hospitality to set up a $ 1-billion Africa -focused investment fund. China Lodging Group bought 4.5% of AccorHotels. In 2019, the 21c Museum Hotels that acquired in the previous year were added to the MGallery collection. Its digital marketing companies for hotels (Availpro, Fastbooking) were merged into D-Edge Hospitality Solutions. The group took full control of Orbis (Its subsidiary AccorInvest acquired 98.6% shares of Orbis). Accor launched
2106-571: The Paris stock exchange , raising 300 million euros to lead investments in hotel-related businesses, sold a 1.5% share in the Chinese hotel management company Huazhu , and invested in the Indian tech hospitality company Treebo. In October 2021, Qatar's Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy had signed an agreement with Accor to manage World Cup fan accommodation during the 2022 FIFA World Cup . According to
2187-578: The People's Party of the Balearic Islands (PP), with Marga Prohens as their President. The specific government institution for the island is the Insular Council of Mallorca [ ca ] commonly known as Council of Mallorca , created in 1978. It is responsible for culture, roads, railways (see Serveis Ferroviaris de Mallorca ) and municipal administration. As of September 2023, Llorenç Galmés [ es ] ( PP ) serves as president of
2268-677: The Tethys Sea during the Mesozoic era. These marine deposits have given rise to calcareous rocks which are often fossiliferous . The folding of the Betic Cordillera and Mallorcan ranges resulted from subduction of the African Plate beneath the Eurasian Plate with eventual collision. Tectonic movements led to different elevation and lowering zones in the late Tertiary period, which is why
2349-708: The 3-star hotel brand SuiteHotel in 1999. In 2000, Accor took full control of Century International Hotels and Zenith Hotels International in Asia, bringing its number of hotels to 200 in the Asia-Pacific zone. The Sofitel Philadelphia (former Philadelphia Stock Exchange Building) was inaugurated, the first Sofitel to open in the US in a decade. Accor bought 20% of the Polish hotel company Orbis. In 2002, Accor settled in Mexico. In 2004, Accor bought
2430-476: The Balearic Islands and the second most populous island in Spain, after Tenerife , in the Canary Islands , being also the fourth most populous island in the Mediterranean after Sicily , Sardinia and Cyprus . It had a Census population of 920,605 inhabitants at the start of 2021, and an official estimate of 940,332 at the start of 2023. Since the 1950s, Mallorca has become a major tourist destination, and
2511-551: The Balearic Islands to recuperate, where he still spent a rather miserable winter. Nonetheless, his time in Mallorca was a productive period for Chopin. He managed to finish the Preludes , Op. 28, that he started writing in 1835. He was also able to undertake work on his Ballade No. 2 , Op. 38; two Polonaises, Op. 40; and the Scherzo No. 3 , Op. 39. French writer Amantine Lucile Aurore Dupin (pseudonym: George Sand ), at that time in
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2592-586: The Balearic Islands, and in response, the people built coastal watchtowers and fortified churches. In 1570, King Philip II of Spain and his advisors were considering complete evacuation of the Balearic islands. In the early 18th century, the War of the Spanish Succession resulted in the replacement of that dynastic union with a unified Spanish monarchy under the rule of the new Bourbon Dynasty . The last episode of
2673-558: The Conqueror, launched an invasion which landed at Santa Ponça , Mallorca, on 8–9 September 1229 with Catalan forces consisting of 15,000 men and 1,500 horses. His forces entered the city of Medina Mayurqa on 31 December 1229. In 1230, he annexed the island to his Crown of Aragon under the name Regnum Maioricae . From 1479, the Crown of Aragon was in dynastic union with that of Castile . The Barbary corsairs of North Africa often attacked
2754-580: The French HEC Jacques Bacon, who made the club a huge success within 3 years through an aggressive and very efficient promotion; it was he who suggested the name Club Med. The new name was at that time reserved to the North American market, but later became the name of the mother company as well. In the early 1970s the club had bought from her owner Claude Lelouche the famous revolutionary three-mast sailing boat Vendredi 13, installed 4 berths and
2835-525: The Insular Council. Elections are held every four years concurrently with local elections . From 1983 to 2007, councilors were indirectly elected from the results of the election to Parliament of the Balearic Islands for the constituency of Mallorca . Since 2007, however, separate direct elections are held to elect the Council. Archduke Ludwig Salvator of Austria ( Catalan : Arxiduc Lluís Salvador )
2916-613: The London-based short-term vacation rental company onefinestay , 30% of the German 25hours Hotels, and 30% of the Miami-based accommodations provider Oasis. The firm also launched Jo&Joe in 2016, a new hotel brand aimed at millennials, and signed a strategic alliance with Singapore's Banyan Tree . HotelInvest was spun off. In 2017, AccorHotels acquired the B2B hotel service provider Gekko,
2997-654: The Roman legions for their skill with the sling ( Balearic slingers ). In 427, Gunderic and the Vandals captured the island. Geiseric , son of Gunderic, governed Mallorca and used it as his base to loot and plunder settlements around the Mediterranean until Roman rule was restored in 465. In 534, Mallorca was recaptured from the Vandals by the Eastern Roman Empire , led by Apollinarius . Under Roman rule, Christianity thrived and numerous churches were built. From 707,
3078-489: The Romans in 123 BC under Quintus Caecilius Metellus Balearicus . It flourished under Roman rule, during which time the towns of Pollentia ( Alcúdia ), and Palmaria ( Palma ) were founded. In addition, the northern town of Bocchoris , dating back to pre-Roman times, was a federated city to Rome . The local economy was largely driven by olive cultivation, viticulture , and salt mining . Mallorcan soldiers were valued within
3159-628: The US-based economy lodging company Red Roof Inn (322 hotels), and announced the creation of Accor Economy Lodging to bring Motel 6 and Red Roof Inn under one roof. Along with Colony Capital , it acquired the hotel brands Libertel and Demeure (40 properties in Europe). Accor settled in the United Kingdom with the opening of a Sofitel in the previous Cox & Co bank in Central London . Accor launched
3240-629: The War of Spanish Succession was the conquest of the island of Mallorca. It took place on 2 July 1715 when the island capitulated to the arrival of a Bourbon fleet. In 1716, the Nueva Planta decrees made Mallorca part of the Spanish province of Baleares, roughly the same to present-day Illes Balears province and autonomous community. A Nationalist stronghold at the start of the Spanish Civil War , Mallorca
3321-459: The acquisition of the fine catering company Potel & Chabot, and the event and entertainment organization company Noctis (renamed Paris Society). In 2018, AccorHotels sold 55% of HotelInvest for €4.4 billion and renaming it AccorInvest and launched a tender offer to take full control of Orbis. It acquired the Mantra Group (134 hotels under the brands Mantra, Peppers, Breakfree, Art Series),
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3402-459: The agreement Accor will provide staff to manage and operate more than 60,000 rooms in apartments and villas. The same month, Accor and Ennismore finalized their joint-venture of 14 hotel brands. Accor was the majority stakeholder (then sold 10.8% to a consortium of Qatari investors ), and the founder of Ennismore Sharan Pasricha held a minority stake. Accor and the Italian hotel group Arsenale announced
3483-558: The arrogance of the Triganos, who were convinced that they could buy any property, even one in a bad location, put on it the name "Club Med" and it would be a success; they multiplied the villages, so many so fast that they could not find enough good "chefs de village", who make the villages what they are: bad chef = bad village. In 1997, the shareholders finally understood and sacked the two Triganos and replaced them with Philippe Bourguignon , former CEO of Novotel USA. Bourguignon aimed to change
3564-437: The capital of the autonomous region of the Balearic Islands . Palma has a famous tourist attraction, the cathedral, Catedral-Basílica de Santa María de Mallorca, standing in the heart of the City looking out over the sea. Mallorca has a Mediterranean climate ( Köppen : Csa ), with mild and relatively wet winters and hot, bright, dry summers. Precipitation in the Serra de Tramuntana is markedly higher. Summers are hot in
3645-415: The certification agency Bureau Veritas launched a label guaranteeing high safety and cleanliness measures in the group's hotels and restaurants, and signed a strategic partnership with the insurance company Axa to provide medical assistance to the guests of its hotels worldwide. In 2020, Accor opened more than 200 new hotels including its flagship Raffles Bali. On 24 November 2020, it announced that it
3726-401: The club "from a holiday village company to a services company". The club took over a chain of French gyms, launched bar/restaurant complexes known as Club Med World in Paris and Montreal , and commenced a budget resort concept aimed at young adults. Oyyo was the first such resort, opened at Monastir in Tunisia . Thirteen new villages were planned for the new century. The change in strategy
3807-532: The club built a second one, a monster named Club Med 2. The club has also ceased to be a club in the legal sense, changing from a not-for-profit association to a for-profit public limited company (French SA ) in 1995. However, each new customer is still charged a membership fee upon joining, and returning customers are charged an annual fee as well. In the 1990s, the club's fortunes declined because competitors copied its concepts and holidaymakers demanded more sophisticated offerings. Other reasons explain its demise:
3888-450: The club later became primarily a destination for families, with the first Mini Club opening in 1967. Club Méditerranée S.A. had a branch in the USA named Club Méditerranée Inc, with several partners including Crédit Lyonnais and American Express. In 1974, upon his arrival as the new CEO of the club for North America, Jean Lallement, one of the first members of the club and responsible for its large presence in Italy, hired as marketing manager
3969-408: The company is crucial to tap into China's huge population of potential tourists. Following the takeover, Chairman and President of Club Méditerranée SA, Henri Giscard d'Estaing , was named President of Club Med SAS. In Jean-Luc Godard 's ' La Chinoise ' (1967), the character Guillaume ( Jean-Pierre Léaud ) talks about his father who had fought Germans in the war, now ran Club Med resort working along
4050-405: The connection to the mainland has been severed at the current sea level. The limestones, which predominate throughout Mallorca, are readily water-soluble, and have given rise to extensive areas of karst . In addition to limestone, dolomitic rocks are mainly present in the mountainous regions of Mallorca; the Serra de Tramuntana and the Serres de Llevant. The Serres de Llevant also contain marl ,
4131-1358: The drama, the main actress, Sung Yu-ri , played Kim Yu Bin, a GO. Within the United States, minimum security prisons can be referred to as Club Fed . In 2004, the American comedy team Broken Lizard released a comedy slasher film named Club Dread . In the movie, a paradise resort for young people full of sex, drugs and rock and roll become targets of a deranged killer. Majorca [REDACTED] Carthage 4th century BC– 201 BC [REDACTED] Roman Republic 123 BC–27 BC [REDACTED] Roman Empire 27 BC–455 Vandal Kingdom 455–534 Byzantine Empire 534–628 Umayyad state of Córdoba 903–1015 Taifa of Dénia 1015–1076 Taifa of Majorca 1076–1115 Almoravid Dynasty 1115–1158 Taifa of Majorca 1158–1203 [REDACTED] Almohad Dynasty 1203–1229 [REDACTED] Crown of Aragon 1229–1276 [REDACTED] Kingdom of Mallorca 1276–1343 [REDACTED] Crown of Aragon 1343–1715 [REDACTED] Kingdom of Spain 1715–1808 [REDACTED] Kingdom of Spain 1813–1931 [REDACTED] Second Spanish Republic 1931–1936 [REDACTED] Spanish State 1936–1975/1982 [REDACTED] Spain 1982–present [REDACTED] [REDACTED] Balearic Islands 1983–present Mallorca , or Majorca ,
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#17330849832854212-422: The dwarf goat-antelope Myotragus balearicus , the giant dormouse Hypnomys morpheus , and the shrew Nesiotites hidalgo , all three of which had been continuously present on Mallorca for over 5 million years. The island's prehistoric settlements are called talaiots or talayots . The people of the islands raised Bronze Age megaliths as part of their Talaiotic culture . A non-exhaustive list of settlements
4293-429: The firm acquired the economy lodging company Motel 6 (536 motels in the United States). In 1991, it acquired the Compagnie Internationale des Wagons-Lits , which owned Pullman Hotels and Resorts , Altea, and Europcar . Accor also launched another economy hotel, Etap Hotel. In 1994, it merged the Compagnie Internationale des Wagons-Lits with Carlson Travel Network to create Carlson Wagonlit Travel (now CWT ). In
4374-460: The hotel group Accor became the largest shareholder, but it sold most of its stake in 2006, announcing that it wished to refocus on its core businesses. From 2001 onward, the resort company worked to rebrand itself as upscale and family-oriented. In 2006 and 2007, Club Med and its partners dedicated a total of $ 530 million to renovate several resorts. In February 2015, Fosun International Ltd.'s Gaillon Invest II and The Silverfern Group finalized
4455-475: The island completely by 12 September. Those events became known as the Battle of Majorca . Since the 1950s, the advent of mass tourism has transformed the island into a destination for foreign visitors and attracted many service workers from mainland Spain. The boom in tourism caused Palma to grow significantly. In the 21st century, urban redevelopment, under the so‑called Pla Mirall (English "Mirror Plan"), attracted groups of immigrant workers from outside
4536-424: The island was increasingly attacked by Muslim raiders from North Africa. Recurrent invasions led the islanders to ask Charlemagne for help. In 902, Issam al-Khawlani ( Arabic : عصام الخولاني ) conquered the Balearic Islands , and they became part of the Emirate of Córdoba . The town of Palma was reshaped and expanded, and became known as Medina Mayurqa. Later on, with the Caliphate of Córdoba at its height,
4617-423: The island, laying siege to Palma for eight months. After the city fell, the invaders retreated due to problems in their own lands. They were replaced by the Almoravides from North Africa, who ruled until 1176. The Almoravides were replaced by the Almohad dynasty until 1229. Abu Yahya was the last Moorish leader of Mallorca. In the ensuing confusion and unrest, King James I of Aragon , also known as James
4698-725: The launch of the Orient Express La Dolce Vita luxury trains. and the groups started to test urban autonomous cars with Citroën and JCDecaux . Accor committed to decarbonize all its operations, aiming 46% emission reduction by 2030 and net zero by 2050, a plan validated by the Science Based Targets Initiative . The group then issued its first sustainability-linked bonds for an amount of 700 million euros. In 2022, Accor bought Cunard's Queen Elizabeth 2 from PCFC Hotels and launched its All-Inclusive Collection. In 2023, Accor restructured into two distinct business units: "Economy, Midscale & Premium" unit (Ibis, Novotel, Mercure, Swissôtel, Mövenpick, Pullman, TRIBE from October 2023) and
4779-421: The lines of concentration camps. In regards with the Situationalist slogan, this scene establishes an image from Dal lake of Indian-occupied Kashmir . The phrase "Club Med- a cheap holiday in other people's misery" appeared as a Situationist slogan, written in graffiti in Paris, May 1968. The phrase was described as a commentary on alienation, domination, and "the false promises of modern life". The slogan
4860-437: The mid-90s, Accor shifted its interest towards luxury and premium brands, and moved towards an asset-light model to focus on brand and product management, rather than property management. Economy and midscale brands remained the group's cash cow and enabled it to invest in less profitable but strategic upscale and luxury brands. In 1997, the firm acquired the casino company SPIC, which became Accor Casino. In 1999, it acquired
4941-447: The more rapid erosion of which has resulted in the lower elevations of the island's southeastern mountains. Marl is limestone with a high proportion of clay minerals . The eroded material was washed into the sea or deposited in the interior of the island of the Pla de Mallorca, bright marls in the north-east of the island and ferrous clays in the middle of Mallorca, which gives the soil its characteristic reddish colour. Mallorca features
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#17330849832855022-444: The nearby Majorca Museum. The capital of Mallorca, Palma, was founded as a Roman camp called Palmaria upon the remains of a Talaiotic settlement. The turbulent history of the city had it subject to several Vandal sackings during the fall of the Western Roman Empire . It was later reconquered by the Byzantines , established by the Moors (who called it Medina Mayurqa), and finally occupied by James I of Aragon . In 1983, Palma became
5103-621: The new midscale hotel brand Tribe (born under the Mantra Group Management). After buying 50% of the SBE Entertainment Group (owner of Mondrian Hotels ) in October 2018, Accor and SBE jointly launched the luxury hotel brand The House of Originals, and the premium hotel brand Hyde in Australia . In September 2019, Accor launched its first environment-conscious hotel brand, greet, with the first hotel opened in April that year in Beaune . On 3 December 2019, Accor repositioned its brand as ALL - Accor Live Limitless. The update merged Accor and its loyalty offering Le Club into one unified brand, ALL. In
5184-425: The northwestern and eastern parts of the island respectively. The highest peak in Mallorca is Puig Major , at 1,445 m (4,741 ft), in the Serra de Tramuntana. As this is a military zone, the neighbouring peak at Puig de Massanella is the highest accessible peak at 1,364 m (4,475 ft). The northeast coast comprises two bays: the Badia de Pollença and the larger Badia d'Alcúdia. The northern coast
5265-485: The plains, and winters are mild, getting colder and wetter in the Tramuntana range, where brief episodes of snow during the winter are not unusual, especially in the Puig Major . The two wettest months in Mallorca are October and November. Storms and heavy rain are not uncommon during the autumn. Mallorca and the other Balearic Islands are geologically an extension of the fold mountains of the Betic Cordillera of Andalusia . They consist primarily of sediments deposited in
5346-400: The premier apartment hotel brand The Sebel. In August 2013, Sébastien Bazin became chairman and CEO of Accor. He introduced a new economic model around two poles: HotelServices, which operates and franchises hotels, and HotelInvest, which owns hotels and leads investments. In 2014, Accor bought a 35% share in Mama Shelter (5 hotels) whose chief designer is Philippe Starck , and signed
5427-524: The private sales website for hotel deals VeryChic, and merged Squarebreak and Travel Keys into onefinestay, and launched the MoodMatch app on its website through a partnership with Travelsify. On the same year, AccorHotels also acquired 50% of the Orient Express brand in a move to relaunch it as a luxury hotel brand. the group announced its strategic intention (dubbed Accor Local) to broaden its marketing to locals, instead of targeting only visitors and travelers. It also diversified its portfolio of assets with
5508-408: The southern and western coasts; the Cabrera Archipelago is administratively grouped with Mallorca (in the municipality of Palma), while Dragonara is administratively included in the municipality of Andratx. Other notable areas include the Alfabia Mountains , Es Cornadors and Cap de Formentor . The Cap de Formentor is one of the places where the tourists can enjoy the pleasure of its beach which
5589-429: The tourism business has become the main source of revenue for the island. The island's popularity as a tourist destination has steadily grown since the 1950s, with many artists and academics choosing to visit and live on the island. The number of visitors to Mallorca continued to increase with holiday makers in the 1970s approaching 3 million a year. In 2010 over 6 million visitors came to Mallorca. In 2013, Mallorca
5670-413: The wake of the COVID-19 pandemic , Accor created CEDA (Coronavirus Emergency Desk Accor), a platform centralizing needs and providing accommodation solutions in France for front-line medical staff and vulnerable populations. The group allocated 70 million euros to launch the ALL Heartist Fund which was designed to assist employees and individual partners experiencing great financial difficulties. Accor and
5751-513: The works of Baltasar Porcel take place in Mallorca. Agatha Christie visited the island in the early 20th century and stayed in Palma and Port de Pollença. She would later write the book Problem at Pollensa Bay and Other Stories , a collection of short stories, of which the first one takes place in Port de Pollença , starring Parker Pyne . Accor Accor S.A. is a French multinational hospitality company that owns, manages and franchises hotels, resorts and vacation properties. It
5832-538: Was a pioneer of tourism in the Balearic Islands. He first arrived on the island in 1867, travelling under his title "Count of Neuendorf". He later settled in Mallorca, buying up wild areas of land in order to preserve and enjoy them. Nowadays, a number of hiking routes are named after him. Ludwig Salvator loved the island of Mallorca. He became fluent in Catalan, carried out research into the island's flora and fauna, history, and culture to produce his main work, Die Balearen ,
5913-477: Was built the next year in Palinuro , Salerno, Italy. The original villages were simple: Members stayed in unlit straw huts on a beachfront, sharing communal washing facilities. Such villages have been replaced with modern blocks or huts with ensuite facilities. Because of reckless spending, the club was on the verge of bankruptcy in 1961. It was saved by the 35-year-old Baron Edmond de Rothschild after he had visited
5994-617: Was introduced to the Paris stock exchange the same year. Accor is based on the word "Accord" meaning "agreement" in French. In 1984, Accor bought the Quiberon thalassotherapy center, which became the first of the Thalasso Sea & Spa brand, and acquired the fine catering company Lenôtre the following year. In 1985, the firm launched Formule 1 , a brand of low-cost hotels. The buildings themselves were modular blocks manufactured in factories and assembled onsite to minimise costs. In 1990,
6075-625: Was later given a nod to in the opening lyrics of the Sex Pistols song " Holidays in the Sun ". The Club Med style of vacation was satirized in the 1978 film, Les bronzés (released in English as French Fried Vacation ) directed by Patrice Leconte . Sequels Les Bronzés font du ski and Les Bronzés – Amis pour la Vie were released in 1979 and 2006 respectively. The 1983 film Copper Mountain: A Club Med Experience , starring Jim Carrey and Alan Thicke ,
6156-723: Was listed on the stock exchange). Suitehotel was merged with Novotel. In 2011, Accor revamped the Ibis brand by creating ibis Styles (formerly All Seasons) and ibis budget (formerly Etap Hotel). The group sold the fine catering group Lenôtre, and the Compagnie Internationale des Wagons-Lits . In 2012, the group launched the regional premium brand Grand Mercure in China (MeiJue), and sold Motel 6 . In 2013, Accor redefined its group business model on two core competencies: hotel operator and brand franchisor (HotelServices), and hotel owner and investor (HotelInvest). The group acquired
6237-527: Was not successful, and the club fell into a deep loss following the 11 September 2001 attacks in the U.S. In 2002, a new CEO, Henri Giscard d'Estaing , son of the former French President, was appointed. His strategy was to refocus on the holiday villages and attract upmarket vacationers. Club Med World Montreal and many villages, particularly those in North America or with more basic facilities, were closed. The club returned to profitability in 2005. In 2004,
6318-638: Was subjected to an amphibious landing, on 16 August 1936, aimed at driving the Nationalists from Mallorca and reclaiming the island for the Republic . Although the Republicans heavily outnumbered their opponents and managed to push 12 km (7.5 mi) inland, superior Nationalist air power, provided mainly by Fascist Italy as part of the Italian occupation of Majorca , forced the Republicans to retreat and to leave
6399-571: Was then hypercorrected to Mallorca by central Catalan scribes, which later came to be accepted as the standard spelling. The Balearic Islands were first colonised by humans during the 3rd millennium BC , around 2500–2300 BC from the Iberian Peninsula or southern France, by people associated with the Bell Beaker culture . The arrival of humans resulted in the rapid extinction of the three species of terrestrial mammals native to Mallorca,
6480-616: Was then considered a light version of Novotel. In 1975, Novotel-SIEH acquired the restaurant brand Courtepaille and the Mercure hotels. In 1980, Novotel-SIEH acquired the Sofitel hotels (43 hotels). In 1981, Novotel-SIEH entered the Asian market with the opening of a Novotel in Singapore . In 1983, Novotel-SIEH acquired and merged with the group Jacques Borel International to create the Accor group, which
6561-421: Was visited by nearly 9.5 million tourists, and the Balearic Islands as a whole reached 13 million tourists. In 2017, ten million tourists visited the island. The rapid growth of the tourism industry has led to some locals protesting the effects of mass tourism on the island. Mallorca has been jokingly referred to as the 17th Federal State of Germany, due to the high number of German tourists. Due to
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