10 TRADE TALK 70 Years
10 TRADE TALK 70 Years In Coach Travel… But Now So Much More! Valère Valentini Head of production, Voyages Léonard Today integrated into the Luxembourg Group Sales- Lentz, Voyages Léonard has always invested in the long term and their development has quietly led them to claim the number one position in the industry in that state. We asked Valère Valentini, head of production – Voyages Léonard, to tell us more… For 70 years, the company has built its reputation on its expertise in coach travel and has diversified its activities. Today, we are active in the production and marketing of tour packages for coach, plane, coach & river cruise packages and individual holidays by car in partnership with a network of travel agencies in French-speaking Belgium, the North of the France and Lorraine (as tour operator). We also create and organise travel for pre-constituted groups, both incoming and outgoing, and rental management of a fleet of 35 luxury coaches (service groups). Furthermore, we sell travel packages to all travel agencies. What "kinds" of travel (i.e. weddings, adventure, gastronomy) are emerging? Customers are looking for new experiences and so are looking for “unusual” programmes. In 2016, our customers did a circuit in Spain with accommodation in the Parador; others travelled on the trail of Santiago de Compostela: customers could either choose to walk or to visit and the evening all guests were in the same hotel. Programmes off the beaten track are really gaining pace, such as the Scottish West with Sky, Mull and Iona Islands; the Slovenia: Maribor and the Stajerska region. What are your key reasons for coming to IFTM Top Resa MAP Pro? Coming to IFTM Top Resa MAP Pro allows us to meet our suppliers, taking stock of our activity and our collaboration. The show allows us to monitor the market trends and discuss our business with our foreign colleagues. Are major objectives are to find general information, new ideas and new partners while maintaining or strengthening professional and friendly relations IFTM Daily • Wednesday 21 st September 2016 www.iftmdaily.com
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW 11 THERE ARE NEARLY 100,000 EMPLOYEES WHO EXPECT TO COME OUT OF THE DIFFICULT TIMES AND LOOK FORWARD TO A SUCCESSFUL FUTURE Jean-Marc Janaillac President & CEO – Air France-KLM Living Up to Expectations Air France-KLM boss has a simple message for travel agents: “We need you”… Having taken the "helm" of Air France- KLM recently, what will be different about the way you will run things as opposed to your predecessor? I want to say that I am not looking to make a break or take an opposite approach. I wish to continue the work carried out for the recovery of the Air France-KLM group, based on the restoration of confidence at several levels: between staff, between teams and leaders, and with customers who have experienced a certain amount of inconvenience these past months. While I encountered some difficulties upon arriving at Air France-KLM, I also discovered a group with very strong brands and employees, in France and in the Netherlands, proud to wear the colours of their company. What are Air France-KLM's most important "USPs" today, and how do you propose to push them more assertively into the market? What distinguishes the offer of the Air France-KLM group from its main competitors is strongly linked to culture, to the footprint of each of its brands. For Air France, we have in mind the French art of travel, the attention to detail, gastronomy, hospitality in the lounges or on board by personnel who ensure attentive service. KLM for its part conveys the idea of a trip in a spirit of efficiency, simplicity and innovation, with the signature of Dutch designers adding a warm touch to the products offered. I would add that the fleets of the two companies are gradually being equipped with seats of the highest standard of comfort. Air France recently announced the creation of a platform centralising data for internal use as part of your "360 ° Vision" of the customer. How does this work? We share a considerable amount of information with the 90 million customers that the Air France-KLM group transports each year. The data collected during their research on the Internet, their reservations, in their interactions on social media, with call centres, and in lounges, are transferred back across a centralised group-wide platform. This allows us to make the right offer to the right customer, at the right time, according to the principle of “better knowledge for better service”. This goes in the direction of the construction of a made-to-measure offer and closer relationship with the client… elements that are dear to Air France-KLM teams. Looking forward - hopefully many years - to the day you will retire, what do you hope people will say about the way you ran the company? When you arrive at the head of a group such as Air France-KLM, you get a sense of pride at the same time as sensing great responsibility. We are talking about national flag flyers here, and there are nearly 100,000 employees who expect to come out of the difficult times and look forward to a successful future. I'm focused on the managerial actions in the present and in the near future. I am not yet concerned about what people will say about my actions later! IFTM Top Resa is year exceptional gathering place for the top TOs and TAs, not only from France, but also from around the globe. What is your message to these people? "We need you"… This is my message. I will repeat myself but what binds us mainly to our distributors is trust. We must live up to their expectations. They are face to face with the customers, they are also required to serve them to the best. Travel agents drive our market, they advise customers and guide their choices. If they do not have the Air France, KLM, HOP! Air France and Transavia brands in mind at the time the purchase is decided, our efforts are in vain Jean-Marc Janaillac Born April 26, 1953, Jean-Marc Janaillac is a graduate of HEC and former student of the National School of Administration. After having been a Director of Air France from 1989 to 1994, he was president of the Executive Board of RATP from 2010 to 2012 and general manager of development of the RATP from 2004 to 2010. He also served in general management positions in the Maeva tourism Group (2000-2002) and the airline AOM (1997-2000). President and CEO of Transdev from 2012 to 2016, he was appointed President and CEO of Air France-KLM on July 4, 2016. IFTM Daily • Wednesday 21 st September 2016
