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Indian arrivals to France marked at 500,000 in 2015

Atout France’s recently concluded annual showcase saw a record participation of 29 French-Indian delegates representing a collection of tourism offerings in France. The delegates comprised of a mix of established partners and new entrants in the form of newer regions making a foray into the market. A large contingent of the delegation was from the Auvergne-Rhône Alpes region

The showcase commenced in Mumbai, travelled to Kolkata for the first time with a finale in Delhi. The workshop also included opportunities for hosted buyers from outstation cities to interact with the visiting delegates. A grand soirée held in Mumbai unveiled Atout France’s objective of showcasing its areas of expertise – one of them being nightlife in France. The theme of the soirée was a French evening that recreated the French art de vivre in Mumbai.

Addressing the gathering, Sheetal Munshaw, director, Atout France India, announced the growth in Indian arrivals to France that touched the 500,000 mark in 2015. India’s largest incentive movement to France comprised of 2,200 passengers. Munshaw also emphasised the growing influence of Bollywood and its positive impact on tourism. With Yash Raj’s film Befikre shot entirely in France this April and last year’s Tamasha shot partly on location in Corsica, France is steadily said to be gaining favour with Indian film-makers.

Bridging the gap between French and Indian sensibilities, Munshaw also announced the launch of a first ever Massive Online Programme (MOOC) for the French travel industry, enabling them to understand the India market better.

Optimising on France’s popularity as a wedding destination, a destination wedding guide was released this summer in France to better acquaint the French travel and hospitality industry with the nuances of planning big Indian wedding.