After 75 Years, Club Med Says Doing Absolutely Nothing on Vacation Is Fine

Club Med built its name on vacations where sports and activities come with the stay. Now the resort company is making a different pitch to travelers in the U.S. and Canada, and it starts with permission to skip all of it.

Adults aren’t necessarily short on things they’d enjoy doing, Club Med said. Everyday obligations just keep pushing those things down the list, and the company wants to know when free time stopped being fun. A vacation, it argues, can give curiosity room again without any pressure to master a new skill or turn it into another accomplishment.

The Question Behind Club Med’s New Report

Club Med’s first research report looks at how adults in the U.S. and Canada experience free time and what holds them back from trying something new. Gérard Blitz founded Club Med in 1950, and the company now runs nearly 60 all-inclusive resorts around the world.

“Club Med was created for happiness, and more than 75 years later, our research suggests people are still struggling to make room for it,” said Carolyne Doyon, president and CEO of Club Med North America and the Caribbean.

Sports and Activities Come With the Stay

Upfront costs for gear and lessons can turn a passing curiosity into a commitment before you ever try it, according to the company. A vacation puts new experiences within reach without that kind of long-term commitment, Club Med said.

At its resorts, Club Med builds sports and activities into the stay. Guests can try something new or go back to something they already love, and they can move on whenever something else catches their attention.

Doing Nothing Counts, Too

“Our curiosity hasn’t disappeared, and neither has our desire to experience something new,” Doyon said. “But somewhere along the way, we’ve lost some of the spontaneity and playfulness that once came so naturally.”

There’s no single version of the perfect vacation under The Art of Free Time, Club Med’s new platform. You can make a plan, change it or simply see where the day takes you, with no expectation to optimize every hour.

Across Club Med’s resorts, free time might mean trying a new sport, discovering a local flavor, joining something on a whim or doing absolutely nothing at all.

Leave a Day Open on Your Next Trip

Before you book your next getaway, leave at least one full day with nothing on the schedule and no reservations to rush to. If a class you’ve never tried catches your eye that morning, sign up. If nothing does, spend the afternoon on a long lunch or a nap and skip the guilt.