Upmarket French leisure group Club Med intends to open a second holiday village in China, in the southern province of Guilin to add to its northern ski resort.

Club Med said it had signed a 10-year accord with Chinese group China Pao Shan, owner of the site, with the resort to open next year and then be revamped and more than doubled in capacity to 300 rooms for 2013.

Guilin, famed for its scenery, is one of China’s top tourist destinations, attracting 20 million domestic and 1.4 million foreign visitors in 2010, Club Med said.

International hotel chain Carlson is to relaunch its loyalty club with new rewards and perks for guests.

The firm announced February 14 that Club Carlson will replace its old Goldpoints Plus program from March 31 as it aims to compete with similar programs such as InterContinental’s Priority Club and Hilton’s HHonors.

Members will be able to redeem their points at an expanded number of Carlson properties, which includes Radisson, Country Inns & Suites and Park Inn hotels, as well as 80 Club Med resorts for members that join in the US and Canada and Carlson Wagonlit vacations for US members.

Upmarket French leisure group Club Med said Thursday it will open a Club Med ski village in China, its first venture into the huge and booming Chinese leisure market, in November.

Club Med reached agreement with Melco China Resorts to run the ski village at the Mountain Yabuli resort, developed by MCR since 2008 in Heilongjiang Province, northeastern China, under a 10-year management contract.