Tag Archives: Atout France

Atout France, the France Tourism Development Agency recently organised the 6th edition of its annual B2B showcase Explore France at the JW Marriott in Goa from 7th to 11th October. A delegation of 23 key stakeholders representing the diversity of France’s touristic offering interacted with 50 members of the Indian travel trade fraternity over 2 days of pre-scheduled meetings and also interacted with trade media representatives. An approximate of 1100 meetings took place over these two days enabling the partners and agents to understand the evolution of travel trends and discuss potential business opportunities. This evolutive edition of the showcase commenced with a presentation for the delegation on the Indian travel landscape and the ever-evolving profile of the Indian traveller and trends prevalent in the country. The presentation included a showcase of the legacy of family run travel businesses in India and the importance of the family segment in Indian outbound travel by Neil Patil, COO, Veena World. There was an introduction also by NPCI Payments International Limited and Lyra on the importance and integration of UPI as a seamless mode of digital payments and its advancement in France. The opening dinner of the workshop took place in the presence of the Consul General of France in Mumbai Jean-Marc Séré-Charlet. In addition to the pre-scheduled meetings, this year, the delegation also had an opportunity to present their offerings to the assembled agents. An interactive visa session was also organised in association with the Consulate General of France in Mumbai and VFS Global to discuss visa procedures and address commonly asked queries by Sami Bouakaze – Consul and Deputy Head of Mission. The networking evenings provided many opportunities for the participants …

Atout France – France Tourism Development Agency has announced that since July 17, all fully vaccinated travellers coming from countries classified as green, orange or red can enter France without restriction or without a compelling reason irrespective of the red, amber or green classification implemented by France. This implies that fully vaccinated Indians can travel to France. As of 18th July, France has also recognised Covishield in its list of approved vaccines. Travel is possible only 2 weeks after the second dose of Covishield has been administered. India has been classified as ‘red’ as of now. A random test may be performed upon arrival at the port of entry. Further information on visas and travel modalities will be shared once more details are available.

Atout France Tourism Development Agency and La Vallée Village organised an informal networking exchange in the form of an aperitif for key representatives of the trade at the recently-concluded second edition of the Luxury Lifestyle Weekend held at Jio Gardens in BKC Mumbai. This interaction allowed the guests an opportunity to actively engage in discussions and interact with Patrick Allais, Business Development Manager, La Vallée Village. He apprised the guests on all the latest offerings available for their clients at La Vallée Village.

As part of its global strategy, Reunion Island Tourist Board has entered into an alliance with Atout France offices in China, India and South Africa for an effective promotion of Reunion Island. Nestled in the Indian Ocean, Reunion Island is an overseas French island that holds high appeal for adventure enthusiasts, family vacations as well as couples seeking a romantic escapade. Atout France has been given the mandate to lend its expertise towards a holistic promotion of the destination. Commenting on this significant development for the Indian market, Sheetal Munshaw, Director, Atout France India said, “We are very enthused to showcase another facet of France through Reunion Island’s aesthetic beauty and its versatile experiences that will find appeal to diverse Indian travellers. Its diaspora of Indians and strong Indian and French influence as well as its proximity and visa on arrival facility (for stays less than 15 days) are sure to resonate well with our market.” Sharing her thoughts, Lydie Sangarin, Market Manager, Reunion Island Tourist Board said, “We are happy to partner with Atout France in these three overseas markets. We believe that Atout France’s professional prowess and years of experience in these overseas markets will be instrumental in the successful positioning of Reunion Island to our potential overseas visitors.” Located in the Mascarene Archipelago, Reunion Island – a French overseas department – offers travellers the exoticism of a tropical island in the Indian Ocean.  

The fourth edition of the global culinary event, ‘Goût de France’, an initiative of the French Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs in collaboration with French Embassies worldwide and Atout France, will amass a staggering 3,300 restaurants in 150 countries and five continents that will all serve French-styled menus to its patrons on March 21, 2018. Each participating restaurant will donate 5 per cent of the proceeds of this evening towards a local NGO. This year, 63 restaurants across India will be celebrating the flavours of French cuisine. As a prelude to the event, networking soirees for the travel trade fraternity and media are hosted by Consular services in different Indian cities and on the day of the event, a reception is hosted in New Delhi at the Residence of France under the patronage of His Excellency, Ambassador of France to India. Goût de France will also pay homage to legendary chef Paul Bocuse who was symbolic to French cuisine for half a century. Participating chefs will be invited to present a dish from his repertoire or an inspired creation. The event will honour the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region renowned for its exquisite French wine, with the global brand of Bordeaux, rich in various gastronomy and wine experiences.

Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne, Secretary of State at the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, presented a new version and unveiled a new logo of Atout France, the online portal for destination France. The goal of welcoming 100 million tourists to France in 2020 involves bolstering the vitality of destination France and showcasing its globally renowned destination brands. A global budget of 2 million Euros was dedicated to the transformation of the digital ecosystem of France.fr. Devised to inspire the visitor and create an immediate desire to travel, France.fr currently represents a showcase of the very best of art de vivre across territories. It illustrates at once the creativity, conviviality and vitality of a France that is innovative, contemporary and cultural, constantly renewing that which it has to offer. The site places an accent on French creativity in the major sectors of touristic development, as well as on tourism knowledge hubs. The international version of the France.fr website is available in French and English. During the first quarter of 2018, the content appearing on this version will be translated into 14 other languages to meet the needs of international visitors.  

Trafalgar will host its inaugural Trafalgar Europe Britain Day as part of its efforts to provide agents a way to learn about travel destinations in Europe and Britain like an insider. It will partner with four European tourism offices in this first-of-its kind showcase exclusively for the trade in India. Atout France, Tourism Ireland, Tourism Office of Spain and Switzerland Tourism together with Trafalgar will present the iconic sites of the respective countries. Trafalgar’s ‘Insider Sessions’ will take place on February 7 in Mumbai and on February 9 in Bengaluru. Nicholas Lim, President, Trafalgar, Asia, says, “We want to help agents to grow their business by showcasing the diversity of Europe and the opportunities around it. We’re delighted to launch our Insider Sessions and in 2018, it’s time to travel to Europe with Trafalgar and live The Good Life. Agents who participate in these sessions will be eligible to win a grand prize of a nine-day ‘Spanish Experience’ holiday sponsored by Trafalgar. There will be two grand prizes given away – one for each city.”

Atout France, France Tourism Development Agency, recently organised its first-ever offsite B2B showcase titled ‘Experience France’ in Goa from October 29 to November 2, 2017. This year, the agency also heralded another milestone – a decade of its independent office in India. The 2017 edition had a strong presence of 24 representatives of French entities buoyed to showcase the limitless possibilities that France has to offer. The delegation included key representatives of regional tourism boards, local tourist offices, hospitality partners, versatile attractions and DMCs from across France. The delegation also included eight representatives from the Auvergne Rhone Alpes region keenly positioning France as a winter destination. The workshop format consisted of pre-scheduled appointments over three days allowing for qualitative exchanges between French professionals and travel companies from key metro cities across India who were present for the event. The Consul General of France to Bombay, M Yves Perrin graced the 10-year celebration at the W Goa. Several networking soirees were organised to facilitate interaction and exchange between the suppliers and hosted buyers. Sheetal Munshaw, Director, Atout France in India, says, “In keeping with the market trends of France being a favoured destination with travel professionals pan India, we thought it opportune to create a common platform to facilitate synergies with travel agents from all over the country opening up and further expanding opportunities to promote France to a more versatile audience. Our delegation also comprised of an eclectic mix of tourism offerings from all over France enabling us to showcase France for all its diversity.”

Atout France – France Tourism Development Agency, Leading Hotels of the World and bespoke travel company Destination Globe, recently collaborated for an exclusive pictorial lookbook that showcases France’s premium tourism destinations. Titled ‘Experience France’, this lookbook invites discerning travellers to discover France’s signature destinations or ‘Marques Mondiales’ such as Alsace, Alpes-Mont Blanc, Biarritz Pays Basques, Burgundy, Brittany, Bordeaux, Côte d’Azur, Corsica, Champagne, Languedoc-Mediterranean, Lyon, Normandy, Provence, Paris, Toulouse-Pyrénées and the Loire Valley, its ‘poles d’excellence’ or areas of expertise that include gastronomy, wine trails, summer in the French Alps and classic nuances of the French savoir-faire; all this coupled with glimpses of legendary French hospitality that is a hallmark of France’s  renowned art de vivre. “Experience France” was unveiled in Mumbai by M Yves Perrin, Consul General de France a Mumbai in the presence of a  select gathering of distinguished guests at a gastronomic restaurant in the first week of September. Sheetal Munshaw, Director, Atout France India, shares her thoughts, “We believe that every traveller now is an experiential traveller and is looking for destinations that provide an immersive and authentic sojourn. The appeal of France lies in its versatility; the entire country is a feast for the senses and offers something for everyone- irrespective of their age or interests. Experience France is our attempt to invite the avid traveller to embark on a pictorial discovery of our signature tourism brands that already benefit from global renown and learn more about authentic experiences unique to these destinations. We hope that this endeavour inspires our readers to plan their next experiential sojourn in France”. Parul Mehta, Partner, Destination Globe, adds, “Destination Globe is synonymous with exclusivity and a service bespoke to the desires …

In the spirit of International Women’s Day, La Vallée Village, the luxury shopping outlet in Paris, France showcased its unique shopping offering to the Indian travel fraternity at Asilo, St. Regis Mumbai. Gracing the soirée with their presence were the Consul General of France in Mumbai, Yves Perrin and his wife Caroline Perrin, Patrick Allais, Business Development Manager, La Vallee Village, and Sheetal Munshaw, Director, Atout France, French Tourism Development Board in India. The soirée began with an interactive and candid testimonial by Caroline Perrin, a veritable supporter of La Vallée Village who has been patronizing the brand since its inception in 2000. The evening was well-attended by key stakeholders of the travel industry who raised a toast to France and its art de vivre. With French luxury brands and international brands on display, La Vallée Village is also well-located en route to the castles of Vaux le Vicomte and Fontainebleau, the famed cellars of Champagne and Disneyland. An ideal haven for shopping, the outlet offers a minimum discount of 33% in each store and up to -70% throughout the year. Add to this the brag value of having bought your merchandise truly ‘Made in France’. La Vallée Village is part of the Chic Outlet Shopping Villages by Value Retail, which has its presence across 9 European destinations a with its flagship store in Marne-la-Vallée, Paris. According to Patrick Allais, ” La Vallée Village is an invitation to “shop differently”, in the company of major brands, and in a conducive ambience like nothing else in France. First of all, the surprise of the environment. The reason behind the “Village” name soon becomes clear: the calming landscaping, the treelined pedestrian streets; …