奢华旅游放低身段渡难关

    美国经济的复苏依然缓慢，豪华酒店业眼下的市场需求如何？

    市场需要依然很旺盛，只不过近两、三年来，旅游线路的选择趋势发生了不小的变化。现在人们更注重把握自己的时间。如果加入Portico俱乐部，旅游线路的选择和预订都会变得更加方便。我还注意到，现在人们喜欢自己做主，而不愿意让酒店插手。我们从不向客户强加什么。人们在Portico的度假别墅可以自由安排行程——如果愿意，甚至可以让管家随行。人们可以自由安排自己的假期。

    你曾经担任过地中海俱乐部的董事长和CEO，回顾这段经历，你从中学到了什么？

    周围的世界发生改变，一般有两条路可以走，一是抵制改变，固步自封；二是勇于面对，适应改变，即使它充满挑战。1997年，我加入了地中海俱乐部。三年后，在一个新团队的努力下，公司发生了一个重大改变，结束了八年来一直入不敷出的状态。我们把公司的财务状况拉回正轨后，一心只想着慢慢把公司发展壮大。不幸的是，“911”事件发生了，公司损失了半数业务，这种状况一直持续了三、四个月。我们的目标是改变公司，但最终未能如愿。现在地中海俱乐部基本上已经无法盈利。只有迎接改变才能成功。

    译者：Nasca

    With the U.S. economy still undergoing a slow recovery, what is the demand like right now in the luxury hospitality industry?

    The demand is still high, but the trends in luxury destinations have changed quite a bit over the last two to three years. People today are more conscious about their time. With Portico, it's more convenient to make a selection and to book a vacation. I've also noticed that people today want to decide what is good for them, instead of the hotel deciding. We do not impose things. If you're in a Portico villa, you decide your own schedule -- even when you want the housekeeper to come by. You organize your vacation the way you want it to be.

    When you look back at your experience of being Chairman and CEO of Club Med, what do you take away from it?

    When the world changes around you, you basically have two ways to react. One is to resist change and the other one is to embrace change, even if it's challenging. When I joined Club Med in 1997, after three years with a fresh team we did a remarkable job in converting the company, which had been losing money for eight years. After putting the company back together financially, the whole idea was to really evolve Club Med. Unfortunately September 11th happened and Club Med lost about half of its business for about three to four months. The goal was to change the company but it never happened. Club Med hardly makes money now. You must embrace change to be successful.