(March 17, 2011—Miami) – Re-opened in mid-December after launching a $25 million transformation, Club Med Sandpiper Bay has exceeded expectations in its year-to-date performance by delivering 30% more bookings and 50% more sales than achieved in the entirety of Winter 2010.  Further, the resort still has six weeks left in the season to add to these accomplishments.  In addition to its strong Winter performance, Sandpiper Bay is already the top selling resort for North Americans this Summer.

"It is a very positive sign to see our brand new resort, Sandpiper Bay, full this winter season and with such high occupancy rates in July and August and trending well for Thanksgiving and the holiday season. We’ve been pleasantly surprised to see a lot of bookings coming not only from the east coast but also from the west coast and Europe.  The fact that we are the only all-inclusive resort in the U.S. and we have a new meeting center, have proven to be great assets," said Xavier Mufraggi, President and Chief Executive Officer, Club Med.

The only all-inclusive family resort is also the flagship of Club Med “premium sports” resorts with elite sports training programs. Located in Port St. Lucie, FL, the 216-acre renovated Sandpiper Bay features two new restaurants, Slice Bar & Lounge, four swimming pools including an infinity pool exclusively for adults and a certified lap pool.  The resort also features a conference center and meeting facilities as well as a new waterfront wedding gazebo. Enhanced accommodations include spacious Deluxe Family Rooms offering separate bedrooms and one and a half bathrooms with plenty of space for the entire family.

New facilities for younger guests include a Kidz Village with a splash park, the BRITTO Art Center and Latitude 27◦, an exclusive new lounge for ‘tweens and teens and a clubhouse for the Raggs’ canine characters from the popular “Raggs TV” series.  Raggs and his furry friends interact with children by way of fun and educational programs.

As the flagship resort for “premium sports”, Sandpiper Bay is home to the new Club Med Academies for tennis, golf and fitness, featuring experts in the sports industry including Gabe Jaramillo, who trained the likes of Agassi and Seles;  Brad Brewer, host of Golf Channel’s Daily Brew; and professional tri-athlete and five-time Ironman Champion Heather Gollnick.  Onsite facilities include – 21 tennis courts, an 18-hole golf course, a Tom Fazio II designed practice facility including a putting green and driving range, and a new 12,000 sq. ft clubhouse. Club Med’s new FIT Performance Academy, directed by Gollnick, recently introduced a new dynamic race series: Club Med Racing. This program hosts upcoming races while training guests for sprint and Olympic distance triathlons, 5k and 10k running races.

For more information, or to make a reservation, visit www.clubmed.us/sandpiperbay, call 1-800 CLUB MED or contact your preferred travel professional. To learn about our Club Med Great Members Program visit www.clubmed.us/greatmembers. For an insider look at Club Med, visit our social media site at www.ClubMedInsider.com.