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Paris - The bidding war for French holiday group Club Med heated up on Friday as Italian businessman Andrea Bonni's Global Resorts raised its offer to counter the takeover ambitions of Chinese rival Fosun.
Bonomi's group has offered €24 per share against the Chinese conglomerate's latest bid, joined by Brazilian investor Nelson Tanure's offer of €23.50 per share.
The improved Fosun offer valued Club Med at €890m.
It was lodged with French stock market regulators on Monday, who had given Bonomi a deadline of 17 December to counter it with an elevated bid.
The regulator suspended trading of Club Med shares in Paris at lunch on Friday.
After Fosun's latest offer, Club Med's board of directors said, was "concerned about the consequences of the higher bids" and the impact of a high purchasing price on the group's employees and partners.
The takeover battle for Club Med began more than 18 months ago and is the longest in the history of the Paris stock market.
Club Med first became a top name in the European tourism industry for its all-inclusive budget family villages.
It has since moved up-market, weathering financial storms in the process and is now looking for further expansion, including in China where it has been a partner with Fosun.
According to company figures released last week, of the 25 000 new clients Club Med attracted in 2013, 80% were Chinese and the rest were Brazilians.
