France: Quintessential and endless tourism experiences
France has remained a coveted destination in Europe for the Indian traveller and its capital, Paris is a dream city for many to visit. Sheetal Munshaw, Director, Atout France India feels that the country is positioned as a most sought-after destination through its repertoire of versatile opportunities to discover or rediscover. Some of the most iconic places as well as some of the most unparalleled experiences can be indulged through adventure, cuisine, oenology, fashion, savoirfaire, art de vivre, and the living legacy of all the values that France stands for.
No sooner than the borders opened up and the restrictions to travel were relaxed, Atout France started to engage on the B2B front with key stakeholders from the travel trade this included highly targeted familiarisation trips, B2B showcases in France, their first collaborative event with their Middle East and Israel office at the World Expo held in Dubai which had an Indian delegation as well. Influencer trips, media FAMs, digital campaigns and select events were also initiated.
“In the coming months, we have our flagship event, our B2B showcase, Explore France that will take place in Udaipur next month after a gap of three years. For the first time, we have record participation of 42 French suppliers motivated to interact and engage with the Indian travel trade. In addition, we are also actively going to engage with the trade through our global E-learning programme scheduled to launch towards the end of the year. On the communication front, we are very active on our social media platforms and have a slew of communication initiatives and collaborations planned from now till the end of the year ensuring an active and sustained recall of Brand France through online and offline platforms,” shares Sheetal.
Moreover, in the last few years, at Atout France, they have seen a rise in the number of marriages taking place in Paris and the South of France. Keeping this in mind, they are actively engaging in a showcase of France from this perspective. In the last seven months, at least two large-scale Indian weddings have taken place in Paris and Cannes with the privatisation of exclusive venues. In addition, France is also gaining appeal as a destination for film and OTT shootings. “Last November, an episode of the very popular OTT series, “Made in Heaven” season 2, was shot entirely on the French Riviera. The Department of the region also financially backed the project. We are actively engaging with both domains to reinforce France’s positioning in these two domains,” informs Sheetal.
France lifted all COVID restrictions for international travellers on August 1, 2022. There is no longer a requirement for RT-PCR or vaccination proof to enter France. Visas are being issued as promptly as possible, considering the current circumstances. Flights are regularly operating to France from different Indian hubs. As of now, Air France, Air India, and Vistara operate direct flights to Paris
There has been a noteworthy increase in the number of venues, restaurants, and installations and re-openings of renowned institutions across France in the recent past. For instance, Paris saw the re-opening of the emblematic department store Samaritaine, which has been completely redesigned in its new avatar. The historic Hotel de la Marine has also seen a complete refurbishment and has been open to visitors since June 2021. In the chic seaside resort of Deauville, the Franciscan Sisters Convent has been reinvented as a hybrid cultural venue that is part museum, part media library, and part performance space. The town of Dijon, famous for its mustard, is also now a proud home to the prestigious International City of Gastronomy, which pays homage to French gastronomy. In the historic Roman city of Arles, located in South France, stands proud and tall, the Luma Arles - a 21st-century factory for the visual arts. The Luma Tower contains exhibition spaces for major events, archives and seminar rooms, a library, a café-restaurant, and a terrace with breathtaking views of this UNESCO World Heritage Site.
To promote and position the destination as one of the most preferred destinations for Indian travellers, Sheetal says, “We aim to showcase France’s signature areas of expertise such as gastronomy and wine, its innate art de vivre, savoir-faire, nightlife, sustainable tourism and its signature destinations through our various collaborations and initiatives. Our target audience is primarily the FIT traveller and our campaigns are more oriented towards families, the indulgent traveller, and friends on a holiday, and women travellers in addition to the niche segments of weddings and incentives.”