TRADE TALK Travel
TRADE TALK Travel Professionals’ Tim Hentschel CEO, HotelPlanner.com & Meetings.com Harry Dalgaard President, Avanti Destinations, Oregon, USA The introduction of the TGV Oceane has been major breakthrough in connecting our number one destination, Paris with Bordeaux. Whether it’s simply for a day excursion to Bordeaux or instead the start of a multi-destination itinerary, the shorter travel time has been a huge boon. As in other destinations where high speed rail has been introduced, the incentive for the traveller to explore has increased the destinations appeal. Our travellers are time poor and typically travel to three or four destinations in either the same country or multi-country in a 10-14 day period. With the two-hour travel time from Paris, our numbers have grown substantially in the short period since the high-speed service was introduced last July. Secondly, the opening of La Cité du Vin in Bordeaux has created a solid building block to our wine and culinary programs, that are now much sought after by our growing millennial market. With this attraction, our travellers can get a full wine experience in town and the surrounding vineyards. Southwestern France has always been very popular with our clients, and the new initiatives by the Nouvelle-Aquitaine regional tourist board to harmonise and boost promotion of the region will, I am sure, foster a much stronger attraction for international visitors. Indeed, we all know that the surf of Biarritz and the vineyards of Bordeaux have strong pulling-power, but these, when combined with all the other destinations and activities of the region, make it a “must include” in any itinerary to Europe or France. This is a people business, and it is good to see that the people in this region are truly pulling together to create a tourism offering that is on a par with any other region in the world, and the result will no doubt be healthy growth for the industry in the region. Guido Graf Travel Designer, DeluxeTargets, Switzerland The Nouvelle-Aquitaine is increasingly a region that we recommend for people to visit before crossing France off their bucket list. More and more flights to Bordeaux are coming on line, so that it is becoming much easier to reach this truly remarkable region of France. From the big wine regions, to the coastline with its unique sand dunes and also in the backcountry, the true old French tradition still exists. Either if one is looking for surfing, golfing, culture, gourmet, cycling or hiking – I believe Nouvelle-Aquitaine has something for everybody – especially in the summertime. 4 SMART GUIDE Nouvelle-Aquitaine www.visit-nouvelle-aquitaine.com
Viewpoint Joe Adamo Chief Distribution Officer, Transat, Canada It’s good news for a tour operator or airline to offer its customers a region that so fittingly reflects the distinctive side of what it has to offer. The initiatives developed by Nouvelle- Aquitaine to better inform travellers about its cities and leading subregions, as well as its signature experiences, are just as helpful to better present and sell a destination. The Nouvelle-Aquitaine region has been among the destinations served by Air Transat for more than 20 years, including flights to Bordeaux from Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver. And in 2018, Canadian carrier Air Transat will be adding additional flights to Bordeaux from Montreal throughout the summer, with three more flights per week. THE WORLD’S BIGGEST FRENCH DINNER NOUVELLE- AQUITAINE IN THE SPOTLIGHT For the fourth year running, Goût de / Good France is jubilantly celebrating the ‘joie de vivre’ of French cuisine, a true bond between chefs the world over. By adopting the Auguste Escoffier’s idea of “Epicurian dinners”, in 1912, Goût de / Good France is enlisting chefs and embassies from around the world to serve dinners “à la française” in several world cities, on the same day. Carlos Garcia Director of Marketing, Logitravel, Spain Nouvelle-Aquitaine is a region that always arouses the interest of the Spanish public, thanks to the beauty of its towns, its historical and cultural heritage and, among others, its gastronomy and wines. Recently, some improvements have been made to the tourist development of the destination, making it even more attractive for tourists seeking to live unforgettable experiences. Logitravel, aware of its potential in the European market, will carry out a complete promotional campaign, including actions in television and the launch of new route packages by car, the best option to discover a place, since it adapts to the needs of each traveller. These proposals will be available in a new exclusive website about Nouvelle-Aquitaine, which will also collect information on the essential visits. Likewise, in the new store Logitravel Store – in Kinépolis – events will be held to bring the attractions of the region closer to the public, promising tourist perspectives. On 21 March, more than 2,000 restaurants in 150 countries, will serve 250,000 Nouvelle- Aquitaine inspired dinner menus and 8,000 people will be received in 156 embassies. From gourmet cuisine to quality bistro fare, Goût de France is helping to promote French cuisine on the 5 continents, on behalf of the French Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs. This is a major festive event in the making. www.visit-nouvelle-aquitaine.com SMART GUIDE Nouvelle-Aquitaine 5
