Reema Lokesh – Mumbai
When France went through its share of crisis, tourism especially to Paris as compared to other parts of France was dampened. However, the suppliers who were in India recently at the Atout France three-city roadshow in Mumbai, Kolkata and New Delhi, had praise for the India market and the buyers. Sharing a common sentiment, Barbara Breheret, India representative of Auvergne Rhone-Alpes, said, “I am proud of the India market and especially the buyers’ reaction to the terror crisis. We thank them for their support and for standing by us and the region in general.” Henri de Rocca-serra, founder Corsica Napoleonica, was also upbeat about this market and was keen to work closely with trade partners here. From Bollywood to MICE, from high end niche leisure options to the regular stops in Paris, France had a mix bag of products to offer at the annual India showcase.
The event witnessed 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. 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 pôles de excellence or areas of expertise one of them being nightlife in France.
Addressing the gathering, Sheetal Munshaw, director, Atout France India, announced that Indian arrival figures to France touched the 5,00,000 mark in 2015. Munshaw also emphasised the growing influence of Bollywood and its positive impact on tourism. She also announced the launch of a first ever Massive Online Programme for the French travel industry enabling them to better understand the India market and in turn better serving the Indian traveller. 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 the Big Fat Indian Wedding.