TourMaG – How is Quartier Libre faring at the start of the 2026 season?
Stéphane Dossetto : Like our competitors and colleagues, we experienced a somewhat chaotic summer. The beginning of the season was rather negative.
But after July and August, given that we generate a lot of last-minute sales, we managed to stand out. The season should ultimately break even, or be slightly positive.
TourMaG – So last-minute sales played a decisive role?
Stéphane Dossetto : Yes. We suffered like everyone else, but the late bookings saved us. European destinations also contributed a lot to this solid performance.
TourMaG – Precisely, Europe seems to have benefited particularly from this context. Will European destinations be the big winners?
Stéphane Dossetto : I don’t yet know if they are going to be the big winners; we will have to wait until the end of the year to measure it. However, these are clearly reassuring destinations.
They are close, they are in Europe and, for some, there is even an alternative to flying. If a client has a fear of flying or worries about being blocked, they can sometimes return by train.
Stéphane Dossetto : Like our competitors and colleagues, we experienced a somewhat chaotic summer. The beginning of the season was rather negative.
But after July and August, given that we generate a lot of last-minute sales, we managed to stand out. The season should ultimately break even, or be slightly positive.
TourMaG – So last-minute sales played a decisive role?
Stéphane Dossetto : Yes. We suffered like everyone else, but the late bookings saved us. European destinations also contributed a lot to this solid performance.
TourMaG – Precisely, Europe seems to have benefited particularly from this context. Will European destinations be the big winners?
Stéphane Dossetto : I don’t yet know if they are going to be the big winners; we will have to wait until the end of the year to measure it. However, these are clearly reassuring destinations.
They are close, they are in Europe and, for some, there is even an alternative to flying. If a client has a fear of flying or worries about being blocked, they can sometimes return by train.
TourMaG – What is your top destination this year?
Stéphane Dossetto : Ireland has been Quartier Libre’s number one for years. This year, it was overtaken by Lapland. This isn’t really surprising, as this destination has been growing strongly for several years.
Lapland became our leading destination, ahead of Ireland. Scotland comes in third and has also progressed very strongly. We have notably broadened our range of guaranteed-departure circuits.
TourMaG – The Swedish Lapland has indeed become a real best-seller. How do you explain this success?
Stéphane Dossetto : The French people love this destination. We also launched a new product. We were among the first to offer Swedish Lapland, and today we have three flights per week, with a direct arrival at Luleå airport.
We also opened two hotels from the second year, with two very different concepts. The first targets couples and is located in the city center, with an outdoor base in the forest where guests go daily for activities.
The second is more family-oriented. It sits by the sea, in a forest, away from the city. The main activities take place directly in the hotel. It notably features a 3,000 m² aquatic area, which is a real asset for families.
Stéphane Dossetto : Ireland has been Quartier Libre’s number one for years. This year, it was overtaken by Lapland. This isn’t really surprising, as this destination has been growing strongly for several years.
Lapland became our leading destination, ahead of Ireland. Scotland comes in third and has also progressed very strongly. We have notably broadened our range of guaranteed-departure circuits.
TourMaG – The Swedish Lapland has indeed become a real best-seller. How do you explain this success?
Stéphane Dossetto : The French people love this destination. We also launched a new product. We were among the first to offer Swedish Lapland, and today we have three flights per week, with a direct arrival at Luleå airport.
We also opened two hotels from the second year, with two very different concepts. The first targets couples and is located in the city center, with an outdoor base in the forest where guests go daily for activities.
The second is more family-oriented. It sits by the sea, in a forest, away from the city. The main activities take place directly in the hotel. It notably features a 3,000 m² aquatic area, which is a real asset for families.
Spain and Portugal as new offerings!
TourMaG – Will you continue to develop this production?
Stéphane Dossetto : Yes. This year we are keeping our three weekly flights, as last year, but we have increased the number of Quartier Libre pilots (the tour operator’s on-tour hosts). We already have eight on Piteå and five on Luleå.
We will also add a new range of two-bedroom chalets. The guests will be almost alone in the forest, while staying close to the activities. It is a product more oriented toward nature.
The challenge is that we do not have an unlimited quantity of chalets. We will offer nine, no more. It will thus be first come, first served.
TourMaG – Northern Europe remains your playing field. But will you also strengthen your presence in Southern Europe?
Stéphane Dossetto : Yes. Italy has progressed notably. It has now surpassed Iceland, which was nonetheless a Quartier Libre benchmark. For a bit of history, we even chartered planes to go to Iceland at one time.
Given Italy’s progress, we will develop Southern Europe further. This will notably include Spain and Portugal starting next year.
Stéphane Dossetto : Yes. This year we are keeping our three weekly flights, as last year, but we have increased the number of Quartier Libre pilots (the tour operator’s on-tour hosts). We already have eight on Piteå and five on Luleå.
We will also add a new range of two-bedroom chalets. The guests will be almost alone in the forest, while staying close to the activities. It is a product more oriented toward nature.
The challenge is that we do not have an unlimited quantity of chalets. We will offer nine, no more. It will thus be first come, first served.
TourMaG – Northern Europe remains your playing field. But will you also strengthen your presence in Southern Europe?
Stéphane Dossetto : Yes. Italy has progressed notably. It has now surpassed Iceland, which was nonetheless a Quartier Libre benchmark. For a bit of history, we even chartered planes to go to Iceland at one time.
Given Italy’s progress, we will develop Southern Europe further. This will notably include Spain and Portugal starting next year.
TourMaG – What are the other new items in the lineup?
Stéphane Dossetto : We will renew some offers, but we have also refreshed and improved England, with guided tours on guaranteed departures.
We have also developed themed tours. This year, for instance, we offered products around the eclipse in Scotland, Ireland, Norway and Iceland. This latter product, by the way, filled up very quickly.
For the next season, we will continue along this approach with new themes. We will notably offer Halloween, as well as a Whisky Tour in Scotland allowing visitors to discover several distilleries.
We will also intensify our range of circuits in mini-groups. The 12-passenger tours in Ireland performed well last year, and we will offer many more dates next year.
Stéphane Dossetto : We will renew some offers, but we have also refreshed and improved England, with guided tours on guaranteed departures.
We have also developed themed tours. This year, for instance, we offered products around the eclipse in Scotland, Ireland, Norway and Iceland. This latter product, by the way, filled up very quickly.
For the next season, we will continue along this approach with new themes. We will notably offer Halloween, as well as a Whisky Tour in Scotland allowing visitors to discover several distilleries.
We will also intensify our range of circuits in mini-groups. The 12-passenger tours in Ireland performed well last year, and we will offer many more dates next year.
Quartier Libre : “We are the project managers of our circuits”
TourMaG – What differentiates Quartier Libre tours from other market offerings?
Stéphane Dossetto : We are somewhat atypical in our lineup. We are a tour operator, meaning we produce our own tours. They are exclusive, which allows us to manage them from A to Z and assign our own guides. These are official guides, but they are trained by Quartier Libre.
Being the project manager also lets us work on last-minute deals. This year, while we sold many late departures, we were able to market certain products up to a week before departure.
On the experiential side, we also have our own differentiator. In Ireland, for example, we offer an evening of folk dancing in a private room or pub, with a show reserved for our clients.
In Lapland, Santa Claus is exclusively reserved for Quartier Libre clients, just like the dogsledding experience. The suppliers involved work only for us.
In Scotland, we obviously do the Isle of Skye, but we also offer an experience on the Isle of Bute. We go there by boat to explore the beaches, but above all a listed manor house, whose interior, exterior and gardens we visit.
In Norway, on our eight-day fjords circuit, clients benefit from three cruises on three different fjords. We notably offer a departure from the old port of Bergen, a UNESCO-listed historic site, followed by a 2h30 cruise on the Sognefjord. Again, this is an exclusive Quartier Libre experience.
Stéphane Dossetto : We are somewhat atypical in our lineup. We are a tour operator, meaning we produce our own tours. They are exclusive, which allows us to manage them from A to Z and assign our own guides. These are official guides, but they are trained by Quartier Libre.
Being the project manager also lets us work on last-minute deals. This year, while we sold many late departures, we were able to market certain products up to a week before departure.
On the experiential side, we also have our own differentiator. In Ireland, for example, we offer an evening of folk dancing in a private room or pub, with a show reserved for our clients.
In Lapland, Santa Claus is exclusively reserved for Quartier Libre clients, just like the dogsledding experience. The suppliers involved work only for us.
In Scotland, we obviously do the Isle of Skye, but we also offer an experience on the Isle of Bute. We go there by boat to explore the beaches, but above all a listed manor house, whose interior, exterior and gardens we visit.
In Norway, on our eight-day fjords circuit, clients benefit from three cruises on three different fjords. We notably offer a departure from the old port of Bergen, a UNESCO-listed historic site, followed by a 2h30 cruise on the Sognefjord. Again, this is an exclusive Quartier Libre experience.
2027: 12% ahead of other years
TourMaG – How does 2027 look for Quartier Libre?
Stéphane Dossetto : 2027 is looking quite solid. We opened sales for Lapland earlier this year and, more importantly, we opened our summer sales. Clients can already book next summer.
We are currently 12% ahead of other years. So next year is shaping up nicely.
And that’s good news, because we needed to turn the page on this year, which was challenging and could eventually end up positively. We did suffer, but the current momentum is encouraging.
Stéphane Dossetto : 2027 is looking quite solid. We opened sales for Lapland earlier this year and, more importantly, we opened our summer sales. Clients can already book next summer.
We are currently 12% ahead of other years. So next year is shaping up nicely.
And that’s good news, because we needed to turn the page on this year, which was challenging and could eventually end up positively. We did suffer, but the current momentum is encouraging.
