Maison de la France (MDLF) is aiming to increase France`s share of the group travel market by…
Maison de la France (MDLF) is aiming to increase France`s share of the group travel market by highlighting the country`s many assets for coaching operators.
MDLF`s first initiative will be to exhibit at the brand new dedicated show Coach Tourism 2003 which takes place at Stoneleigh Park in Warwickshire from 03-04 June 2003.
The French zone will consist of 26 industry partners from regional tourist offices such as Brittany and Alsace, visitor attractions like the Stade de France and Nausicaa, as well as hotel groups and incoming operators.
Endorsed by the Coach Tourism Council, which Maison de la France belongs to, the show is for all professional buyers of group travel. According to Christian Lepage, UK Director of Maison de la France: “Coach tourism plays an important role in generating UK traffic to France and even more so in the current climate with people wanting to stay close to home. We see the show as being an ideal opportunity to inform group buyers about what France can offer their clients.”
The Coach Tourism Council believes that coach tourism was worth a total of £2.26 billion in the UK last year and a recent Mintel survey indicated that 7.8 million Brits took a coach holiday in 2002.
“We`d like to see France increase its share of that market,” said Mr Lepage, “and exhibiting at Coach Tourism 2003 is the first step towards achieving this.”
Maison de la France also produces a dedicated sales manual for group operators specialising in youth travel. The manual includes contact details and sample packages for 67 French associations ranging from tourist boards to language programme providers, youth accommodation services to major visitor attractions across the country.
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
