by Jim Byers
Last updated: 6:28 PM ET, Mon June 14, 2021
More than 180 travel agents attended the Air France & Paris webinar on June 10, organized by Atout France. If you couldn't attend the live webinar, we invite you to watch it on replay before arranging any travel to France, which is eagerly awaiting the return of visitors from Canada.
The Reopening of France
Mélanie Paul-Hus, Director of Atout France Canada, took advantage of the event and the presence of travel advisors to remind us of the new rules for entering France, which came into effect on June 9. Canada being in orange in the classification of countries, passengers coming from Canada are admitted to France on the condition that they are fully vaccinated and have a negative PCR or antigenic test result, the test having to be performed between 48 and 72 hours before departure. Non vaccinated passengers, outside French nationals, cannot enter France by air without compelling reasons. Many clarifications were provided during this presentation. "Restaurants can now welcome customers indoors, gyms are opening their doors and museum gauges are less restrictive. It is therefore possible to enjoy the most beautiful attractions of Paris while respecting the barriers," said Paul-Hus. To better manage events of more than 5,000 people, France has introduced a health pass to ensure that participants in large outdoor or indoor events only admit visitors who have been vaccinated or have negative screening results. The reopening of France to foreign visitors is part of a global economic recovery effort following a comprehensive timeline.
Air France's customer journey and summer flight program update
The presentation of the latest flight safety video with iconic places of France in the background, as well as that of the increased sanitary measures at Pearson airport in Toronto, served as an introduction to inspire and reassure. Continuing on this momentum, Catherine Guillemart-Dias, Vice-President General Manager Air France KLM Canada announced the update of Canada's flight program in July and August, including 21 "This summer will be about going back to the basics, to #WhatReallyMatters. There is no better setting than France to rediscover the simple pleasures of life. Welcome to France!" - Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne State Secretary to the Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs, in charge of Tourism, French nationals abroad and Francophonie. weekly flights departing from Montreal-Trudeau (17 Air France and 4 KLM),12 weekly flights departing Toronto Pearson (5 Air France and 7 KLM) and 12 weekly flights departing Vancouver (3 Air France and 5 KLM). The VPDG also put forward some of the measures to ensure travel preparations are more serene: ''By granting flexibility that allows a full refund on all our tickets without having to justify the reason for the cancellation, and more recently, by receiving the highest honor in the APEX ranking for sanitary measures on board our flights, we offer peace of mind to our customers in the planning their trip and optimal travel conditions for their experience on board."
Partner news
Maud Brunet, who recently joined the Atout France team in Canada as Operational Marketing Manager, took the stage to introduce the Paris and French partners for this webinar.
Eiffel Tower opens July 16 with enhanced customer experience
Nathalie Bruel, from the Société d'Exploitation de la Tour Eiffel (SETE), gave a comprehensive overview of the famous Iron Lady, one of the most visited monuments in the world. After an 8-month closure, the Parisian landmark will reopen to the public on July 16, with an improved customer experience. Travel agents can book admission in advance, as well as tables at the Jules Verne restaurant and Thierry Marx's new brasserie. Many other services are now available to visitors and may be booked ahead by advisors.
Best Western France: An Unparalleled Offer
Olivier Lautissier reminded us that BWH Best Western is the largest private hotel chain in the world, which gives it a great reputation. Other advantages of the chain include the quality of service, cultivated with passion by the owner operators. The implementation of a new health and customer experience protocol in the form of promises will allow consultants to choose the most appropriate establishment for their clients' desires from among more than 300 properties in France alone. Rewards and incentives are also available to the retail industry.
Paris, my love
At Galeries Lafayette Paris Haussmann Azileb Incerto told us the joy surrounding the reopening of the famous Parisian department store on May 19, after 107 days of closure. This is a reason to celebrate the French capital with the Paris Mon Amour exhibition that will take place in the windows of the Avenue Haussmann. Exceptional measures have been deployed to take care of the customers who will come to make their purchases. Galeries Lafayette is also offering many personalized services, including Made in France Experiences (French know-how), the Personal Shopper (private salon and in-house advisor), and the refund of French taxes (VAT) for a minimum purchase of 100 euros.
On the Seine and the Rivers of France
With CroisiEurope "Sailing on the rivers today opens the doors to French history and culture," said Michel Grimm of CroisiEurope in his intro. Cruising allows you to travel comfortably close to your ports of call. CroisiEurope, a French family-owned company based in Strasbourg, sails on the Seine from Paris to Honfleur, but also on the Rhine, the Rhone, the Gironde and the Loire. Recently, the company has also started offering barge tours for an intimate discovery of the canals of France. Among the advantages offered are special attention to service and gastronomy on board, as well as exciting cultural excursions.
Travel Connected
With Bouygues Telecom With smartphones being essential travel companions, Arnaud Bommart offers My European SIM card from Bouygues Telecom, to stay connected at all times and make worry-free phone calls during a stay in France. In addition to the pleasure of communicating and surfing the web easily, the card offers helpful services such as a tourist guide designed with Atout France and discounts at participating merchants. Travel agents receive a commission if their customers purchase this service.
Watch the Air France & Paris Webinar Again
Convinced? To watch the webinar on replay, click here
Follow Atout France Canada on LinkedIn!
To prepare your travels in France, Atout France also recommends checking the latest instructions on the France.fr website-Covid section, but also to refer to the following sources:
Embassy of France in Canada https://ca.ambafrance.org/Reouverture-des-frontieres-francaises-aux-voyageurs-enprovenance-du-Canada-a Canadian government website https://voyage.gc.ca/
Air France-boarding protocols and documents https://bit.ly/3gblYhY
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