France & French Speaking Belgium Market Overview
The population in France is 67.39 million and is the second most populated country in the EU (behind Germany). The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in France was worth 2630.32 billion US dollars in 2020. Paris is the capital of France and is the largest city with a population of 2.2 million inhabitants. Lyon and Marseille are close behind. The Paris’ region, called Ile de France has a population of 12.2 million inhabitants. Employees in France receive 2.5 days of paid holiday for every month they work. This equates to 5 full weeks of holiday allowance a year. Due to statutory entitlements employees can have up to seven weeks of holidays per year. France officially observes 11 public holidays.
The population in Belgium is 11.5 million inhabitants. The country is divided into distinct regions, including Dutch-speaking Flanders in the north, French-speaking Wallonia in the south, and a German-speaking community in the east. The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in Belgium was worth 515.33 billion US dollars in 2020. Brussels, the bilingual capital has a population of 185 103 inhabitants. The Brussels’ region called Région de Bruxelles-Capitale has a population of 1.22 million inhabitants. The legal minimum amount of holiday entitlement in Belgium is 20 days (4 weeks), but some companies offer extra holidays. Belgium officially observes 10 public holidays.
France has a long-lasting friendship with the United States, and French travelers are repeaters who will explore several regions of the country during their lifetime to discover off-the-beaten-path destinations. They are especially attracted to the South for its connection to French history, music (jazz, blues, soul, gospel, rock’n’roll…), authentic local food, historic plantations, and Southern hospitality.
With direct flights from Paris to ATL, CVG, and RDU, along with easy one-stop connections, the South has multiple gateways for French travelers. France is the third-largest market for the region in Europe and the forecast is good for continued growth. Tour operators are building more and more tailor-made products for their clients, who are interested in authentic destinations like the South.
In Market Representatives
Article Onze
2 rue de Narbonne
75007 Paris France
+33 (0)1 55 60 30 02
Marie Loyola, Account & Trade Manager - [email protected]
Chrystele Cazin, Marketing Manager - [email protected]
Research
Public Relations
Expert in media relations with a strong knowledge of the media and its long-standing and trusted relationships with the press, Article Onze Tourisme accompanies Travel South USA on its strategy of influence for extensive media coverage.
To promote Travel South USA, to make it stand out from rivals, to attract customers, and to generate destination awareness we publish a monthly press release and a monthly media newsletter to our press database of 3000 contacts with an average opening rate of 25 to 30%.
GPP France Coverage - FY21/22
Marketing & Sales Activities
Article Onze focuses heavily on marketing that inspires trade partners and customers’ loyalty while also reaching out to new partners and customers to ensure Travel South USA success on French and Belgian markets.Travel trade workshops, in-house Tour Operators trainings, travel agent webinars, tradeshows, BtoC Travel fairs, monthly dedicated newsletters, cooperative marketing with Visit USA France and Belgium, cooperative marketing with Tour Operators or travel agents networks, recruitment of Tour Operators buyers to International Showcase, our marketing strategies operate with all the players in the industry and line with the latest travel trends on our markets.
French Sales Mission
