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Club Med, the Pioneer of the All-Inclusive Concept, Announces New Renovations, Wellness Fusion Program Expansion, Generative AI Integration, CSR Commitments and Limited-Time Winter Sale

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MIAMI, Feb. 14, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Club Med, the pioneer of the all-inclusive concept, starts the year on a high note with a variety of new developments including major renovations to Club Med Cancún, a name change to the brand’s first South Africa resort, the implementation of generative AI to enhance guest and employee experiences, the full expansion of its Wellness Fusion program to all North American resorts, ongoing corporate social responsibility initiatives and a winter sun & ski sale.

Wellness & Family-Friendly Renovations at Club Med Cancún

Club Med Cancún will undergo extensive renovations with enhancements to its Family Oasis and the addition of a Sports & Wellness Island, creating more spaces within the resort designed for guests to recharge and connect. Club Med Cancún is a naturally preserved resort with three private white sand beaches surrounded by a natural lagoon that provides an exceptional setting for water sports, family activities, and experiencing Mexico’s rich Mayan culture. Guests can soon expect a:

Sports & Wellness Island that will combine an active sports area with a relaxation space. Highlights include a new palapa for a serene yoga experience amongst tropical trees and a lagoon view, plus facilities for archery, bocce ball, mini golf, multi-sport courts, and circus with trapeze. Set to complete April 2024. Dedicated Family Oasis inspired by the beauty of Mexico, providing guests with more space to play. The new area will be located next to the newly added 10 pickleball courts and Aguamarina Family Oasis, which features spacious family suites, a dedicated pool, kids bar and more. Set to complete December 2024.Addition of Baby Club Med, a dedicated childcare service for children (ages 4 months to 23 months) taken care of by professionally-trained staff. Babies will be able to discover color, sounds and the natural environment through activities including music workshops, nature walks, painting and daily family activities like cooking classes, pool parties and snack time.Children’s Club relocating next to Aguamarina to minimize the travel distance from family accommodations. The new area blends the spirit of exploration with the wonders of Mayan culture in a new convenient location.New play facilities, including a themed Splash Park, Water Park, Mini Pool & Playground, Fun Zone and Mini Cinema.

Club Med Cancún will remain open throughout the renovations.

For renderings of the renovation and images of the property, please visit this link (Credit: Club Med)

Wellness Fusion North America Expansion

This year marks the final expansion of Club Med’s Wellness Fusion program across seven North American properties, including Club Med Turkoise and Club Med Punta Cana, which launched the program this past January. Combining a harmonious fusion of wellness experiences designed to harness ultimate peace of mind, the Wellness Fusion program offers guests a well-rounded itinerary filled with healthy nutrition, yoga, active sports, spa relaxation and nature reconnection.

Club Med first introduced the program in 2022 in response to travelers’ growing interest in participating in activities on vacation that enhance well-being and mental health. Since then, the program has grown to offer dedicated yoga G.Os (Gracious Organizers) for each resort, 20+ hours of yoga and meditation per week, guided wellness nights, rotating plant-based dishes inspired by a partnership with Food Network’s award-winning vegan Chef Chloe Coscarelli, and more. The Wellness Fusion program is now available across seven North America resorts including: Club Med Michès Playa Esmeralda, Club Med Punta Cana, Club Med Québec, Club Med Ixtapa Pacific, Club Med Cancún, Club Med Columbus and Club Med Turkoise.

For images, please visit this link (Credit: Club Med)

New Resort Naming: Club Med South Africa Beach & Safari

Opening in 2026, Club Med’s first resort in South Africa is now officially named “Club Med South Africa Beach & Safari.” Formerly referred to as “Club Med Tinley,” this new name connects the destination and its unique offerings, further strengthening its integration within the Club Med portfolio. Club Med South Africa Beach & Safari will feature a surf-lifestyle concept, as well as the opportunity to stay on a Big Five Game Reserve and embark on a magical safari.

This highly-anticipated Club Med addition is situated in KwaZulu-Natal, a province renowned for its diverse natural beauty and year-round warm weather. The beach resort will be nestled on the North Coast, fondly known as the “Dolphin Coast,” and offer panoramic views of the beach and coastal dunes. The resort interiors, entertainment and gastronomy will carry the flair of the destination, drawing inspiration from the location, climate, and cultures of Southern Africa. Three hours away in Northern Natal, guests will enjoy the same all-inclusive experience at the 80-room game lodge, with access to the wonders of the animal kingdom through a complete safari adventure.

The resort will include an Exclusive Collection space, providing a 5-star oasis of tranquility and indulgence to complement the pristine natural environment, along with a spa, fitness center, yoga school and an adults-only Zen pool and bar. For those looking to play on their vacation, Club Med South Africa Beach & Safari will offer an array of land and water sports for couples, friends and families, including the very first Surf School at Club Med. In keeping with brand’s dedication to corporate social responsibility, the resort will embrace environmental stewardship through its Bye Bye Plastic Program, Green Globe sustainable tourism certification, and eco-certified construction.

For renderings, please visit this link (Credit: Club Med)

Club Med Implements New Generative Artificial Intelligence Technology

Club Med announces its integration of Generative Artificial Intelligence, a new development in Club Med’s ‘Happy Digital’ pillar that will enhance both the customer experience and employees’ efficiency through smart technology. The new AI technology, which uses existing content to learn and create new content, will accompany Club Med’s in-house data management platform, ‘Data Factory’ and streamline activity for teams and customers worldwide. This progress has transformed the way Club Med manages its information with currently, over 5 million new data points per day processed in real time.

Club Med is continuing to explore new types of AI to improve customer service, like Claude AI from Anthropic. This large language model (LLM) can be trained to provide personal answers in real time. The brand plans to offer this conversational experience to customers in select markets, helping them save time researching which of Club Med’s 70+ resorts are the perfect fit.

“Generative artificial intelligence, powered by a substantial collection of data, is taking us into a new era of innovations,” said Quentin Briard, Chief Executive Officer Marketing, Digital & Technologies at Club Med. “Our strategic choice towards customer-oriented digitalization and direct to consumer distribution has enabled us to create a volume of high-quality data. Thanks to generative AI, we are able to reinforce all of our strategic pillars, from individualizing our customer communications to improving our recruitment processes and developing innovative solutions to intensify our CSR commitments, thus reinforcing our Happy Digital positioning.”

To ensure the deployment of AI at Club Med is both ethical and controlled, Club Med has created an AI ethics committee, led by computer scientist and philosopher Jean-Gabriel Ganascia, Professor at Sorbonne University’s Faculty of Science. Club Med has also established a partnership with the French company S3NS, a subsidiary of Thales in partnership with Google Cloud, to ensure data hosting and encryption meets security and RGPD requirements.

Read the full press release here

Pioneering Sustainable Tourism

Club Med continues to put significant focus on its ongoing corporate sustainability efforts dedicated to responsible tourism with a focus on actively contributing locally through social and environmental partnerships and consuming responsibly through energy management and minimization of single-use plastics. As part of its Happy to Care program, commitments for 2024-2025 for North America include:

Green Globe and BREAAM Certifications: Marking continuous improvement in the sustainable approach of operations, Green Globe Certification for Club Med Michès Playa Esmeralda, Club Med Punta Cana, Club Med Turkoise, Club Med Ixtapa Pacific, Club Med Cancún and Club Med Québec. BREEAM Certification for Club Med Québec.Green Farmers: Supporting nearly 30 local small farm producers to promote local extensive agriculture in Dominican Republic.Renewable Energy: Solar panel farm at Club Med Punta Cana, providing 75% of clean energy annually.Environmental Partnerships: Turtle monitoring and protection program in Club Med Ixtapa Pacific, Club Med Cancún and Club Med Michès Playa Esmeralda’s pioneer program that launched in 2023; Turks and Caicos Reef Fund with interactive workshops on coral reefs at Club Med Turkoise and Club Med Columbus.Bye Bye Plastic Program: Club Med North America resorts are working toward the minimization of single-use plastics with biodegradable and glass alternatives including Club Med Michès Playa Esmeralda’s onsite water bottling plant, which provides guests in-room glass refillable bottles that saves over 60,000 plastic bottles each year.

For images, please visit this link (Credit: Club Med)

Save on Travel with Beachside Dreams & Snowkissed Escapes Offer

Club Med invites guests to reconnect with loved ones through their latest promotional offer, available for booking through end of February. Whether guests are looking for an all-inclusive sunny holiday in the Caribbean or a winter wonderland vacation in Canada, Club Med has it covered!

Offer Details: Beachside Dreams

Up to 40% OFF with perksKids under 4 stay FREENo single supplementAdditional 10% off on premium rooms with code: 10CLUBBooking window: Now through February 27, 2024Travel window: Now through August 23, 2024Resorts: Club Med Punta Cana, Club Med Michès Playa Esmeralda, Club Med Cancún, Club Med Ixtapa Pacific, Club Med Turkoise, Club Med Columbus, Club Med Caravelle, Club Med Buccaneer’s Creek

Offer Details: Snowkissed Escapes

Instant savings up to $770 pp/week with perksLift passes and ski/snowboard lessons includedKids under 4 stay FREEBooking window: Now through February 28, 2024Travel window: Now through April 14, 2024Resorts: Club Med Québec

 For more information, please visit this link

ABOUT CLUB MED 

Club Med, founded in 1950 by Gérard Blitz, is the pioneer of the all-inclusive concept, operating nearly 70 premium resorts in stunning locations around the world including North and South America, Caribbean, Asia, Africa, Europe and the Mediterranean. Each Club Med resort features authentic local style and comfortably upscale accommodations, superior sports programming and activities, enriching children’s programs, gourmet dining, and warm and friendly service by its world-renown staff with legendary hospitality skills, an all-encompassing energy and diverse backgrounds.  

Club Med operates in 40 countries spanning across 5 continents and continues to maintain its authentic Club Med spirit with an international staff of more than 23,000 employees from more than 110 different nationalities. Led by its pioneering spirit, Club Med continues to grow and adapt to each market with three to five new resort openings or renovations per year, including a new mountain resort annually.  

For more information, visit www.clubmed.us, call 1-800-Club-Med (1-800-258-2633), or contact a preferred travel professional. For an inside look at Club Med, follow Club Med on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. 

Club Med Media Contacts 

Sydney Dixon
Public Relations & Partnerships Manager
sydney.dixon@clubmed.com 

QUINN PR 
clubmed@quinn.pr

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SOURCE Club Med

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China’s Long March: The Journey Goes On

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MACAO, Oct. 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — This is a report from Xinhua News Agency:

There is a chapter of history every Chinese child learns in school.

There is a poem that generations of Chinese people have learned by heart.

There is a song millions can sing from its very first notes.

In stories, in verses, in melodies, they all point to the same chapter of history: the Long March.

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SOURCE Xinhua News Agency

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Target Makes it Easier for Guests to Discover Stylish Holiday Gifts They Can’t Wait to Give

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Target is offering more than 8,000 new gifts, with more than half exclusive to the retailerMost new holiday items at Target are $20 or less, including thousands $5 and underNew AI-powered shopping experiences, daily deals and early Black Friday savings simplify gifting

MINNEAPOLIS, Oct 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Target Corporation (NYSE: TGT) is putting gifting at the heart of the holidays, bringing guests more than 8,000 new stylish gifts they can’t wait to give. More than half of the new assortment is available only at Target, with thousands of gifts priced at $5 and under. New AI-powered shopping experiences, fresh ways to discover gifts and deals throughout the season will make it easier for guests to find something special for everyone on the list.

“This holiday season, guests will see and feel the changes we’ve been making across Target, bringing together the style, design and value they expect from us with an experience that makes shopping easier and more inspiring,” said Michael Fiddelke, chief executive officer, Target. “We know guests turn to Target for gifting, gathering and everything in between, and our team is ready to help busy families discover more joy in those moments throughout the season.”

Stylish gifts at an incredible value
As consumers continue to look for affordable ways to give gifts that feel special, Target is leaning into one of the season’s biggest trends: luxe-for-less gifting. This year’s assortment includes 100% cashmere (excluding functional trim) starting at $25, pajamas for all from $10, festive decor from $5, faux fur throws at $30, top toys from LEGO, Barbie and Nintendo, new and exclusive gifts from prestige, emerging and global beauty brands at Target Beauty Studio, nostalgic sweet treats and host gifts from Favorite Day and exclusive finds for sports and wellness fans, making it easy for guests to find gifts that feel elevated at every price point.

“Guests tell us they want to give gifts that are thoughtful and personal, while feeling good about what they’re spending,” said Cara Sylvester, executive vice president and chief merchandising officer, Target. “That’s why we’ve brought together the brands they love, exciting trends and unexpected finds they won’t see anywhere else — all at prices that make it easier to get that ‘I can’t wait to give this’ gift.”

More ways to discover the perfect gift
New this season, Ask Target, an AI-powered shopping assistant available in beta on Target.com and the Target app, helps guests find inspiration, narrow their choices and shop with confidence and ease. Additional AI-powered features and a digital holiday kids catalog offer more ways to discover gifts for everyone on the list.

Target’s new Academy of Giftology holiday marketing campaign, launching in November, will tackle familiar gifting dilemmas with playful inspiration to help guests gift it their all and find gifts they’ll be excited to give.

More ways to save, from the first gift to the last
Beginning Nov. 1, guests can shop a new Deal of the Day every day through Dec. 24, with a first-ever one-day preview of upcoming offers to help them plan ahead. Early Black Friday deals run Nov. 5–7, followed by new limited-time offers every weekend throughout the holiday season.

The joy of gift giving
Through Target’s partnership with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, guests can give a gift that helps give back with the Gigglescape St. Jude bear, with a donation tied to each purchase while supplies last.

About Target
Target Corporation (NYSE: TGT) brings together style, design and value to offer a distinct assortment and elevated shopping experience across more than 2,000 U.S. stores and online. Powered by more than 400,000 team members, Target serves millions of families each week and invests in the communities where they live and work to support growth and opportunity for all.

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SOURCE Target Corporation

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illumend CEO: Building a COI Tracker with AI Is Easy. Verifying Insurance Compliance Is Not.

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Kristen Nunery warns that homegrown Certificate of Insurance tracking tools can create a false sense of security when businesses mistake collecting insurance documents for verifying coverage and compliance

INDIANAPOLIS, Oct. 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — As general-purpose artificial intelligence (AI) makes it easier for businesses to build their own software, Kristen Nunery, founder and CEO of illumend, is warning construction and property management companies against a costly misconception: that building a Certificate of Insurance (COI) tracking system is the same as verifying that contractors and other third parties have the insurance coverage their contracts require.

In her new article, “You Can Build a COI Tracker with AI. That Doesn’t Mean You Should,” Nunery explains that general-purpose AI tools such as ChatGPT can help businesses create applications that collect certificates, track expiration dates, and automate reminders. But those capabilities address only part of the insurance compliance process. Determining whether coverage satisfies contractual requirements involves interpreting insurance documents, reviewing endorsements, identifying exclusions and resolving discrepancies that basic tracking software may overlook.

“AI has democratized the ability to build software. It hasn’t democratized the expertise to make the right insurance decision,” said Nunery, who has spent 16 years in insurance compliance. “If you don’t have a compliance process today, you’re not automating a process. You’re automating your best guess.”

Why a COI Tracker Is Not an Insurance Compliance Verification System

According to Nunery, the critical distinction is between tracking the existence and expiration of insurance documents and verifying whether the underlying coverage meets contractual obligations.

A homegrown COI tracker may confirm that a certificate is current, record policy limits, and flag missing documents. But a current certificate does not necessarily mean a contractor is adequately insured or compliant with an agreement’s terms.

For example, a subcontractor may submit a certificate showing sufficient general liability limits and additional insured status. Yet the underlying endorsement may be a CG 20 10 covering ongoing operations only, while the contract also requires completed-operations coverage under a CG 20 37 or equivalent endorsement. A basic tracker could mark the subcontractor as compliant despite the missing coverage.

“The tracker didn’t misread anything,” Nunery said. “It never had the contract requirement, the endorsement language, or the connection between the two.”

Other potential gaps include incorrectly named insured entities, missing endorsements, inadequate completed-operations coverage, and policy provisions that fail to satisfy contractual insurance requirements. Identifying these issues requires evaluating insurance evidence in context, not simply extracting data from a certificate.

Why Insurance Compliance Verification Requires Specialized Technology

Nunery argues that businesses seeking to move beyond basic COI tracking need technology designed specifically for insurance compliance verification, with insurance expertise embedded in how the system evaluates coverage.

Unlike homegrown tracking tools, specialized compliance platforms such as illumend compare insurance documents against established contractual requirements, examine supporting endorsements, identify coverage gaps, and explain findings that require attention.

This approach powers Lumie, illumend’s specialized AI-powered insurance compliance expert. Lumie reviews certificates and endorsements against established requirements, flags potential deficiencies and provides supporting evidence for its determinations, while allowing compliance professionals to review and resolve exceptions.

“AI should do more than flag a problem. It should show you what it found, which requirement it evaluated, and the evidence behind its assessment,” Nunery said. “Lumie applies insurance expertise at scale and creates a clear record of its findings, so teams can act on routine determinations efficiently and focus their attention on exceptions that need a closer look.”

Nunery’s perspective draws on her experience building myCOI, whose technology has reviewed more than 45 million insurance documents and identified more than 2 million coverage gaps before they became claims, according to company figures.

Build a COI Tracker or Buy a Compliance Platform? The Questions Businesses Should Ask

For organizations considering building their own COI software, Nunery recommends first determining whether they need a document-tracking application or a comprehensive insurance compliance verification system.

Basic tracking needs may be addressed with spreadsheets, conventional software, or applications built with general-purpose AI. But verifying compliance requires substantially more: translating contractual insurance requirements into rules, reviewing endorsements and policy evidence, identifying exceptions, documenting decisions, and maintaining an auditable compliance process.

Businesses must also consider who will keep insurance requirements current, validate the system’s determinations, investigate discrepancies, and maintain the records needed to support compliance decisions during claims or audits.

“Building the software happens once,” Nunery said. “Running a compliance system means keeping requirements, evidence, follow-ups, decisions and the audit trail current, every day it’s in use.”

To read Nunery’s full article, visit https://www.illumend.ai/evaluation-buying/build-vs-buy-coi-tracking-software-ai

About illumend
Founded in 2025, illumend™ is the AI-powered platform redefining how businesses manage third-party insurance compliance and risk. Backed by myCOI, the leader in third-party insurance compliance management with more than 16 years of expertise, illumend reimagines compliance by guiding every step of the process—from document review and expiration tracking to risk flagging, communication, and resolution—within one intuitive system. Built on myCOI’s institutional foundation—having processed more than 45 million documents, managed over 1.2 million agreements, cleared more than 750,000 third-party partners, and identified more than two million coverage gaps before claims—illumend brings this depth of compliance intelligence into an AI-native platform. At its core is Lumie, illumend’s conversational AI guide that reads complex insurance documents, flags issues in real time, and explains them in language anyone can act on. To learn more, visit https://www.illumend.ai.

Media contact:
Michael Tebo
Gabriel Marketing Group (for illumend)
Phone: 571-835-8775
Email: michaelt@gabrielmarketing.com

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SOURCE illumend

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