UK bookings to Club Med properties around the world were up by 20% this year compared to last year. Though still a small source market for Club Med, the UK has posted one of the highest increases in the world.

Club Med hopes to build upon the UK’s brand loyalty next year with the opening of a number of long-haul luxury developments.

Speaking to Breaking Travel News, chairman and chief executive Henri Giscard d’Estaing (pictured above, with BTN Editor Adam Coulter), said:

“The Brits are very loyal to a brand, if it’s one they like. We are massively developing the long-haul market and we want to send more UK customers to those long-haul resorts.”

One of those resorts is Punta Cana (pictured over), in the Dominican Republic, which has been boosted by the launch of direct flights from British Airways in October.

D’Estaing, who was in the UK this week to celebrate the company’s 60th anniversary, put the increase down to a weak pound and the increasingly popularity of all inclusives.

“It’s important for people to know exactly how much they are spending and not to be paying for lots of extra charges.

“I think in these difficult economic times this is especially important and which is why we have seen such a sharp increase from the UK market.”

D’Estaing said the group’s push upmarket was also attracting UK guests.

Club Med has spent around 1bn euros investing and refurbishing its resorts to luxury standards.

It is also entering the property sales market as many US hotel chains have done, with the construction of 26 1m euro villas on Mauritius – 22 of which have already been sold.

There are 10 other new projects taking place worldwide including Cancun, the Alps and for the first time a foray into China with five new resorts set to open next year.