Caroline Leboucher, CEO of Atout France, and Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne, Secretary of State for Tourism, French Nationals Abroad and Francophonie, participated in two virtual round tables at the WTTC Global Summit on 26APR, 2021. For each of these discussions, they highlighted new trends in tourism in France, as well as proposals to meet the challenges of the sector’s recovery in the coming months.
During the 'A map for the future, to accelerate Europe’s recovery' round table discussion, Caroline Leboucher insisted on the need to be proactive in taking action, and on the urgency of collecting data to support decision-making. LeBoucher also mentioned the importance of solidarity within a hard-hit sector that still struggles. France has been recognized for its effort to support and revive the sector by implementing measures that have helped maintain a large part of the workforce.
At the 'From Turmoil to Transformation: Protecting our Workforce & Recovering 100 Million Jobs ESP' roundtable, Secretary of State Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne spoke about the governments support to protect the workforce and recover jobs. Additionally, the Secretary of State mentioned a new measure to give certainty to the sector and support businesses by hiring temporary workers for the upcoming vacation season. He hopes to resume international tourism this summer, as tourists from the European Union represent 36% of international visitors and are the main driver of the sector’s recovery for France.
Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne also stressed the importance of renewal and adaptation to change using the French mountains as an example. The ski resorts of the Alps suffered greatly during the winter when the lifts were closed, but they managed to find a new audience in the summer, thanks to their nature and wide open spaces.
When speaking about sustainability within the travel industry, Caroline Leboucher mentioned that travellers now care more about the environment and social development of the places they visit. This is resulting in travellers searching for more authentic and longer experiences.
On 27APR, 2021, French President Emmanuel Macron sent a video message to all event participants, extending an invitation to meet in France before the end of the year to reflect on the industry’s next challenges, particularly on the issue of sustainability.
Replays of the round tables can be found here.
