Club Med, a leading French-style holiday resort brand, is eyeing China as a "strategic market" in the coming year as it achieved dramatic business growth in its first six months of operation in the country.

Since opening its first China representative office in Shanghai last September, Club Med has attracted over 2,000 members (or "Gentle Members") from the country to its unique international holiday experiences, said the company sources.

"It's a great satisfaction; it is so far the best result compared with other markets we entered in the first six months," Club Med CEO and Chairman of the Board Henri Giscard d'Estaing said on Friday during his visit to Shanghai.

"We believe we have strong potential in China; it is a very promising market for us in the Asia-Pacific region.".

Club Med will target young and dynamic Chinese professionals with high incomes, and many of its members in China now are company leaders who usually spend holidays with families, according to Club Med's Shanghai office.

"Newlywed couples can also spend their honeymoons in our villages and young singles will be able to meet friends from all over the world within villages," said Club Med (China) General Manager Gao Hua.

Also, local companies can choose to hold conferences in Club Med villages, which are usually located alongside natural beaches, according to Gao.

The office commemorated on Friday Ji Hong, financial director of Information Technology 3M China Ltd, as the 2000th "Gentle Member" from China.

(China Daily June 12, 2004)