Murari Mohan Jha
Sheetal Munshaw, Director, Atout France India talks about the trends and plan for the India market
Atout France is looking to incorporate specialised initiatives in the wedding, cinema/OTT and incentive domain in India. It is estimating 300,000 Indian arrivals in 2021 despite the border opened in July 2021.
How is the overall Indian outbound travel trend to France post pandemic?
We have seen a strong rebound from the Indian market post the opening of borders and the lifting of travel related restrictions. The FIT segment saw a strong bounce back as did the MICE segment. In addition, we have also seen an increase in the demand for corporate incentives, weddings and film/OTT series shoot initiatives. We have already seen two high profile weddings organised in France in Paris and Cannes last year. We have also had an episode of the second season of the famous OTT series “Made in Heaven” shot on the French Riviera in Nov 2021, which was strongly supported by the Department of Côte d’Azur.
France emerged as Number one outbound destination amongst European countries for India pre-pandemic. How does Indian outbound numbers look like?
The numbers so far have been encouraging for us since the reopening of borders. We have been well supported in our endeavour of showcasing France to the discerning Indian traveller by the travel trade fraternity. As of now, estimated arrival figures to France for 2021 stand at 300,000+ Indian arrivals which is a good number considering that the borders first opened with restrictions only in July 2021.
By when do you think the Indian traffic to France to get back to 2019 level?
It is a bit difficult to predict this. Should there not be any new variants or any border closures, we are optimistic that 2023-2024 will see a close return to normal in terms of Indian arrivals to France.
You recently concluded your B2B showcase ‘Explore France’ in Udaipur. How was the response?
The response has been overwhelming from both our partners and the trade for our first offline showcase since 2019. The showcase witnessed a participation of 42 French partners – the highest since the inception of Atout France in India. We had more than 80 travel agents pan India interacting with our partners over 2 days of intense prescheduled meetings. The showcase debuted with an opening evening graced by the presence of the Ambassador of France to India. We had La Vallee Village, one of our longstanding partners in this market; co-sponsor a soiree that incidentally also celebrated 15 years of Atout France’s independent office opening in India. This year’s edition also saw for the very first time, the inclusion of two panels on two segments – weddings and cinema – that have shown tremendous potential for France. We had experts from both domains engage in interesting exchanges with our partners.
What further marketing and promotional activities are in the pipeline for India market?
Digital and communication campaigns will continue to remain a strong medium of communication for us in both the B2B and B2C segments. From a global perspective and in collaboration with the head office and several Atout France offices, an e-learning programme will soon be launched for travel agents with the aim of reinforcing product knowledge on France. We are also looking to incorporate specialised initiatives in the wedding, cinema/OTT and incentive domain as these segments are of high potential for France.
What digital marketing initiatives are you planning for India?
This would mainly include collaborations in the form of campaigns with reputed lifestyle, travel magazines, social media campaigns on our internal networks, organising press trips for renowned influencers as well as organising on ground events especially for influencers, which would then be, relayed on the influencer’s social media platforms.
Have you noticed change in travelller’s profile from India?
The discerning FIT traveller is more prone to discover France from an immersive standpoint, is ready to spend more time indulging in unique experiences in France’s various regions. In the recent past, there has been a demand for self-drive holidays, wellness breaks, shopping getaways, culinary journeys which was not the case earlier.
Visa is one of the major hindrances to travel to any European country. What is your take on this?
The impact of the unprecedented demand for travel since the opening of borders has been felt by the entire industry. The Consular network and the Embassy have done their best to deal with the situation as best as they could. Over 800 guests and support staff could attend a high-profile Indian wedding in Cannes this June thanks to the formidable support extended by the Embassy and the network of Consular services pan-India. To avoid trip cancellations and delays, timely notices on the delay in processing visas were also posted on the Embassy website, advising travellers to submit their applications well in advance before their travel.
What sustainability measures Atout France has adopted post pandemic?
Globally, our offices have all tried to imbibe a sustainable approach to organising events. In addition, our head office has joined forces with the Acteurs de Tourisme Durable (ATD) for 3 years. This entity is positioned as the French representative of stakeholders of sustainable tourism. The aim of this collaboration is to strengthen their means of action in favour of the transition of the sector and allow France to achieve its ambition to become a global benchmark for sustainable tourism. The idea is also to build new common concrete tools, for the benefit of all public and private tourism entities.
