Storytelling for Travel Agents: Tell Me a Real Story, No Tall Tales


Image générée par IA Chat GPT

MSC Croisières


In the first episode, we talked about personal branding: the image you leave behind, the way you’re identified, what makes people want to trust you.

Today, we move to the second pillar: storytelling. And no, storytelling isn’t about spinning stories to embellish reality like a Titanic trailer, sunset, violins and the promise of eternal happiness as extra baggage.

Storytelling is much simpler. It’s giving meaning to what you do. It’s turning information into a living message, turning an offer into a projection, turning advice into useful content, turning a hassle into a lesson, turning expertise into concrete proof.

In plain terms, it isn’t about inventing a story. It’s about knowing how to tell the right one. And in tourism, there’s no shortage of material.


Your role is to restore meaning

A product sheet informs. A story makes it understood.

Saying: « A well-located hotel with a pool. » is information.

Saying: « This hotel, I would especially recommend to a family that wants to unpack, avoid long travel times and enjoy real comfort without spending their vacation in transit. »

There, you’re already telling something. You’re giving context. You’re helping the client to picture themselves. You’re transforming a technical spec into advice.

And that’s exactly where storytelling becomes useful. Because today, the traveler is overwhelmed by comparison sites, Google reviews, TikTok videos, platforms, influencers and promises of “best price.” He sees it all.

But he does not always understand what is truly meant for him. Your role is to restore meaning. A bit like in Men in Black: everyone sees the scene, but few really know what lies behind it.

In travel, behind a beautiful offer, there is often a detail that changes everything.

And this detail is often you who spots it.


Find all of JC’s best tips here by clicking here


Educating: Make it understood

A good storytelling doesn’t start with: “What am I going to tell?

It starts with: “What do I want to make them understand?

Example. You want to explain that an agency isn’t necessarily more expensive than booking directly.

You could write: “Using an agency doesn’t always cost more.” That’s true, but it won’t make a room jump up like a Freed from Desires chorus.

You could also tell: “This week, a client arrived with three tabs open, two hotels compared, a flight spotted and a real question: am I making a good deal or a mistake? By going through the file point by point, we found that the cheapest hotel was 45 minutes from everything, the return flight required an extra night, and baggage wasn’t included. In the end, the best price wasn’t the one they thought.

There, you’re no longer in argument. You’re in demonstration. And that’s much stronger.


Telling a hotel story is telling an experience

In our profession, details are essential: dates, flights, schedules, board basis, transfers, hotel category, terms. But that’s not always what triggers interest.

A raw offer says: “7-night stay with all-inclusive, direct flights, transfers included, 4-star hotel.

A told story offers:Do you want to travel with family without worrying about every meal, every transfer and every expense on site? This formula is for that: you arrive, you drop your bags, the kids head to the pool, and you can finally breathe.

The traveler no longer reads just a service. They picture themselves in it. As Forrest Gump would say, an offer is sometimes like a box of chocolates: what matters isn’t just the packaging, it’s knowing what’s inside… and whether the client will like the taste.


Behind the scenes: your best scenario


In tourism, our role isn’t to say yes to everything. Our role is to advise. And sometimes, advising means saying no.

No, this destination isn’t ideal at this time. No, this hotel doesn’t fit the profile. No, this cheaper offer might hide constraints.

When told intelligently, that “no” becomes proof of expertise.

People often ask me if I can find something cheaper. The answer is yes, sometimes. But my real role isn’t just to find cheaper. It’s to find fair. And sometimes the cheapest becomes very expensive when it doesn’t suit the traveler.

In Ocean’s Eleven, the plan works because every detail is thought through. In travel, it’s the same.


Storytelling must stay sincere!

Storytelling doesn’t mean writing a novel. A good narrative can fit in a few lines.

She absolutely wanted a seaside hotel. After discussion, she mainly wanted to be able to do everything on foot. So it wasn’t the beach that needed to be sought first, but the right neighborhood. That’s also our job: understand the real demand behind the demand.

Short. Clear. Useful.

A too-short correspondence, an out-of-the-way hotel, a transfer not foreseen, or an offer that hides constraints can become useful content.

Of course, we anonymize and respect clients. But we draw a lesson.

This week, a traveler thought they had found a great offer. On paper, yes. In reality, the arrival airport was two hours from the city, the transfer cost a fortune, and the schedules wasted nearly a day on site. A good offer isn’t just a price. It’s a coherent whole.


Storytelling is more about explaining to whom a destination fits… and to whom it does not fit.

I would recommend this destination to those who like to take their time and enjoy a true local atmosphere. On the other hand, if you’re looking for constant activity and very festive evenings, it may not be the best choice.

Storytelling must stay sincere! This is the key point.

Storytelling works when it is sincere. It should not turn a travel agent into a manufactured character, but reveal your view, your experience, your beliefs and your way of working.


Conclusion: tell simply, tell truthfully

At heart, storytelling isn’t about telling more. It’s about telling better.

Behind every offer, every hotel or every destination, there is a reflection. Our job isn’t only to reserve. It’s to listen, understand, advise, safeguard and accompany.

If we don’t tell our value, others will summarize it for us. So we might as well take control.

With sincerity, pedagogy, personality and hands-on experience. Because good storytelling isn’t about inventing a pretty story. It’s about telling the true value of your profession.


JC, whose real name is Jean-Charles Franchomme, has been working in the tourism industry for more than 20 years.

Since 2024, he is a sales and web executive for groups at Steam Evasion, where he leverages his dual field and digital expertise.

He is also the founder of the Facebook community “100% travel deals and expertise” which brings together 3,800 travelers.

An entrepreneur at heart, he also co-founded two influential Facebook groups in the sector: CDMV (Collective for the Defense of Travel Trades) and Helpdesk for Tourism Pros, which have become essential exchange spaces for professionals.

Royal Caribbean Hosts Over 500 Travel Agents Aboard the Legend of the Seas


Plus de 500 agents de voyages EMEA ont participé au « Seminar at Sea » de Royal Caribbean à bord du Legend of the Seas.   Photo: Royal Caribbean

Hurtigruten


Royal Caribbean a réuni plus de 500 agents de voyages venus de toute la région EMEA à bord du Legend of the Seas pour son plus important « Seminar at Sea » jamais organisé.

Pendant five days, les professionnels ont pu se familiariser avec le nouveau navire, premier de la Icon class à naviguer en Europe, et approfondir leur connaissance de l’offre de la compagnie.

Les participants ont notamment découvert les différentes catégories d’hébergement, les expériences proposées à bord, les principales escales du navire ainsi que le portefeuille de destinations Ultimate de Royal Caribbean. Ils ont également pu tester en avant-première le nouvel outil de traduction en direct basé sur l’intelligence artificielle, avec des contenus audio et des sous-titres disponibles dans plusieurs langues.


Royal Caribbean : formation et immersion à bord

The program combined training sessions and product discovery. The agents were notably able to participate in Legend Quest, an interactive experience in the form of a game that lets participants explore the ship and its various activities.

They also had access to roughly 40 dining, drinks and entertainment experiences offered onboard, including the new Hollywoodland Supper Club and the show Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. The itinerary also included calls at Palma de Mallorca and La Spezia.

Royal Caribbean emphasizes that this format should enable travel partners to better grasp the experience offered to their clients and to strengthen their expertise on the company’s offerings.

Travel Agents Cup Junior 2026: Five Finalists Revealed


La Travel Agent Cup Junior revient pour une 9e édition -  Logo TAC Junior, IFTM

TAP Air Portugal


The competition is entering its final stretch.

The five finalists of the 9th edition of the Travel Agents Cup Junior are now known. They were selected after a first stage based on a candidacy video, five tourism studies students have earned their place for the grand final.

They will meet on Thursday, September 17, 2026 at 1:30 PM, on the stage of Arena by Uzbekistan at IFTM, to try to convince a jury of tourism professionals and, in the process, the public.

A feature of this edition: the scenarios the candidates must respond to were allocated by random draw ahead of the final. A way to place the five students facing the same challenge: to show reactivity, creativity and above all the ability to place themselves in the shoes of a true professional in sales and travel advice.


The finalists are …

Petina Buadi, Saint Pierre Institute Brunoy

Axelle Garcia, ISTHIA Toulouse

Julien Gleizes, IFC Montpellier

Isaline Monnier, IMS Nantes

Thalia Renoud, ISTHIA Toulouse


Four minutes to convince

There is no question of reciting a memorized speech. The final is above all immersive, dynamic, and close to the conditions of a real customer experience.

Each of the five candidates will begin with a video prepared in advance, intended to present their background, their school, and their mentor teacher. They will then propose, on stage, a complete customer experience linked to the scenario assigned to them.

Time will be limited: four minutes per candidate, without notes, to convince the jury. Quality of speech, creativity, dynamism, ability to engage their interlocutor… All the ingredients will be brought together to distinguish the young talents.

A genuine test of public speaking, where they will have to transform a few minutes on stage into an experience sufficiently convincing to win over both professionals and the audience.


A panel of professionals to decide among the candidates

For this 9th edition, the finalists will be evaluated by a jury composed of tourism professionals:

Marie Allantaz, IFTM

Annette Masson, FFTST

Christine Fumeau, CDMV

Pascale Missoud, AJT

Claire Quartieri, Leclerc Voyages and winner of the Travel Agents Cup 2025

Dominique Abiven, Futuroscope, representing leisure parks


The jury will notably have the responsibility of electing the three best promoters of Destination France.

But professionals won’t be the only ones to have a say. As every year, the public can also vote for its favorite via an Instagram poll. A prize will also be awarded to the fifth finalist.

So who will succeed Cloe Triaud, winner of the previous edition, and claim this 9th Travel Agents Cup Junior? See you on September 17 at IFTM to find out.


Amelia Brille Published by Amelia Brille TourMaG.com Editor
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ChatGPT, Claude, AI Agents: CDS Connects Its Services to the Global AI Ecosystem


Selon CDS, "ce qui nécessitait auparavant plusieurs recherches et validations peut désormais être réalisé à partir d'une simple conversation" - Illustration : CDS

Costa Rica


CDS devient l’une des premières plateformes mondiales de Business Travel à connecter ses services à l’écosystème mondial de l’intelligence artificielle.

Les entreprises clientes peuvent désormais réserver un hôtel, appliquer leur politique hébergement ou centraliser un paiement directement depuis ChatGPT, Claude ou leur propre environnement IA par une simple demande en langage naturel“, précise le groupe dans un communiqué.

En s’appuyant sur l’IA conversationnelle, voyageurs, travel managers, acheteurs et agences bénéficient d’un accès naturel, instantané et sécurisé à leur environnement professionnel, sans rupture de parcours ni complexité d’usage“.

A partir d’une conversation – par exemple : “CDS, trouve-moi un hôtel 3 étoiles à proximité de mon rendez-vous à Paris, conforme à ma politique voyage, avec paiement centralisé et facture dématérialisée” – la plateforme analyse la demande, applique les règles de l’entreprise, vérifie les plafonds tarifaires, identifie les meilleures options et finalise la réservation, en quelques secondes.


An Open, Secure Architecture Built for the Enterprise

Avec cette innovation, CDS souhaite “mettre l’intelligence artificielle au service de l’expertise métier, pour une expérience plus intuitive, plus conforme et plus efficace. Chaque recherche, chaque recommandation et chaque réservation bénéficie simultanément de la puissance de l’IA et de plus de vingt-cinq années d’expertise développées par CDS“.

L’ouverture de l’écosystème CDS repose sur le protocole MCP (Model Context Protocol), “un standard émergent qui permet aux assistants IA, copilotes métiers et agents autonomes d’interagir avec les applications d’entreprise de manière sécurisée et standardisée“, poursuit CDS.

L’entreprise garantit à ses clients un accès durable à leurs services Business Travel depuis n’importe quelle intelligence artificielle qu’elle soit développée par les grands acteurs du marché ou conçue en interne.

Côté sécurité, “toutes les données demeurent hébergées, administrées et gouvernées par CDS. Aucune donnée sensible n’est transférée, répliquée ou exposée aux modèles d’IA“, assure le Groupe.



L’accès repose sur des mécanismes d’authentification forte, de double authentification, de contrôle des habilitations et de traçabilité répondant aux exigences des grandes organisations internationales.

Chaque requête continue d’appliquer les politiques voyages, programmes hôteliers, règles de conformité et processus de validation définis par l’entreprise, qui conserve la maîtrise exclusive de sa gouvernance des données.”


An Innovation Ready to Spread

D’ailleurs, CDS et le Groupe S4BT invitent développeurs, éditeurs, intégrateurs et partenaires technologiques souhaitant explorer les usages du protocole MCP appliqués au Business Travel à les contacter, “afin de construire ensemble la prochaine génération de services de voyage d’affaires alimentés par l’IA“.

Déployée aujourd’hui chez CDS, cette innovation a vocation à s’étendre progressivement à l’ensemble des solutions du groupe : hôtellerie d’affaires, réservation multimodale, paiement, facturation électronique, automatisation des processus et services aux agences.

Nous sommes convaincus que l’IA deviendra l’interface universelle du Business Travel. En ouvrant nos services à l’écosystème mondial de l’intelligence artificielle, nous ne connectons pas une plateforme à une technologie : nous construisons l’infrastructure qui redéfinira la façon dont les entreprises voyagent, réservent et paient.

Notre engagement est simple – garantir à nos clients un accès pérenne à leurs services, quelle que soit l’IA qu’ils choisiront demain
“, a ainsi déclaré Ziad Minkara, fondateur de CDS et CEO du Groupe S4BT.

MOOVTOO: The Designer of Conversational Agents, a New Career in Tourism [ABO]


Le concepteur d'agents conversationnels est un véritable architecte de la connaissance territoriale. Il doit comprendre les modèles d'IA, mais aussi maîtriser la médiation culturelle, la qualité des données, l'écriture, l'expérience utilisateur et l'animation des réseaux territoriaux - DepositPhotos.com, andreynekrasovone

IFTM prenez RDV avec TourMaG


L’intelligence artificielle conversationnelle est souvent présentée comme une technologie capable de remplacer les moteurs de recherche ou les traditionnels chatbots.

Pourtant, derrière les démonstrations spectaculaires des grands modèles de langage se cache une réalité beaucoup plus complexe : une IA n’est performante que si elle est nourrie par des contenus fiables, structurés et contextualisés.

Autrement dit, les véritables créateurs de valeur ne sont plus uniquement les développeurs, mais aussi ceux qui savent organiser, relier et raconter un territoire.

C’est précisément le pari de MOOVTOO, jeune entreprise française qui développe des agents conversationnels spécialisés dans le tourisme.



Letting Data Speak… and Territories

The MOOVTOO idea did not originate with the arrival of ChatGPT. Its founders have been working on this for about six years, at a time when chatbots were still limited to a few predefined scenarios.

Their ambition was already to create a digital tourism guide capable of dialoguing naturally with visitors.

Since then, the revolution of large language models has profoundly changed the possibilities on offer.

Nevertheless, according to the founders, the real challenge is not technological. It consists of building an intelligence capable of understanding a territory in all its richness : heritage, culture, mobility, gastronomy, accommodations, events, services or local narratives.

The objective is no longer merely to answer a question but to accompany a traveler throughout their experience.

Also read: The tourism trades facing AI: technological mutation or new hospitality?


Two complementary paths

Cette vision est portée par deux profils très différents.

Élodie Morel est journaliste de formation. Elle a notamment créé et dirigé le média numérique iloubnan.info au Liban, développant une solide expertise dans la production éditoriale, la narration et l’expérience utilisateur.

Nehmé Lebbos est ingénieur spécialisé dans les systèmes d’information et la Business Intelligence. Il évolue depuis la fin des années 1990 dans les univers du web, de la donnée et du voyage.

Leur complémentarité illustre parfaitement l’évolution actuelle des métiers de l’IA.

Concevoir un agent conversationnel ne relève plus uniquement de l’informatique. Cela suppose également de maîtriser les contenus, les usages, les attentes des voyageurs et les spécificités des territoires. Le métier devient autant éditorial que technologique.


An AI that learns the story of a territory


L'objectif de MOOVTOO : dépasser la simple recommandation algorithmique pour construire une véritable conversation personnalisée - Illustration MOOVTOO

Contrairement aux moteurs conversationnels généralistes, MOOVTOO s’appuie sur un principe de contextualisation avancée.

Chaque destination possède son propre corpus documentaire composé de données touristiques, de contenus éditoriaux, de récits, d’informations pratiques et de ressources locales.

Ces informations alimentent ensuite le modèle de langage grâce aux techniques dites de Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG), permettant à l’intelligence artificielle de produire des réponses cohérentes avec la réalité du territoire.

La plateforme repose également sur un important travail de structuration des contenus. Culture, patrimoine, nature, gastronomie, mobilité, hébergements, activités ou événements sont organisés selon un référentiel de variables qui permet de créer des liens intelligents entre des milliers d’informations. L’objectif est de dépasser la simple recommandation algorithmique pour construire une véritable conversation personnalisée. Demain, cette IA pourrait réserver directement une table dans un restaurant, organiser une visite guidée ou composer un itinéraire multimodal adapté aux envies de chaque visiteur.


Humans remain the primary intelligence


A new profession is emerging

Au fond, l’exemple de MOOVTOO révèle peut-être l’évolution la plus profonde des métiers du tourisme.

Demain, les destinations auront besoin de nouveaux profils capables de faire dialoguer les données, les contenus, les outils numériques et les acteurs locaux.

Ces professionnels devront comprendre les modèles d’intelligence artificielle, mais aussi maîtriser la médiation culturelle, la qualité des données, l’écriture, l’expérience utilisateur et l’animation des réseaux territoriaux.

Le concepteur d’agents conversationnels devient ainsi un véritable architecte de la connaissance territoriale.

Dans cette perspective, l’intelligence artificielle n’apparaît plus comme une simple innovation technologique. Elle constitue un nouvel outil de marketing territorial, au service de l’attractivité, de la valorisation des savoir-faire locaux et d’une expérience touristique plus fluide, plus personnalisée… et toujours profondément humaine.

Lire aussi : L. Bertounèche (Genial) : « L’intelligence artificielle ne remplacera jamais l’expérience du territoire »



Brice Duthion - Photo : BD

Brice Duthion est président – fondateur de l’agence “Les nouveaux voyages extraordinaires” (LNVE) spécialisée en conseil, conférences et communication.

Il intervient auprès de nombreux acteurs publics et privés dans ses domaines d’expertise : le tourisme et l’hospitalité, la culture et les patrimoines, les territoires et les politiques publiques.

[email protected]

Gold Rush: Exotismes Embarks 16 Agents to Riviera Maya


La 9e Ruée vers l’Or débute ce 25 mai 2026 - Depositphotos

CroisiEurope


After Zanzibar, the grand finale of Exotismes’ flagship game will be held on the Riviera Maya, in Mexico.

The 16 travel agents who are among the best sellers in the tour operator’s commercial challenge will depart this Monday, May 25, 2026, for Mexico.

They are hundreds who tried their luck up to Wednesday, March 31, 2026, the closing date of the contest.

The hotel stock is renewing itself on the destination, mirroring the opening of the Bahia Principe Grand Tequila Hotel. Mexico is riding high. We are recording double-digit growth since the start of the year, in a context that is not easy for long-haul travel.

Mexico is standing out
“, we were told then by Didier Sylvestre, in October last, when launching the challenge.


The Gold Rush: Gold Coins to Win!

By combining interactive games with e-learning modules, the operation aims to train the travel operator’s production, knowledge of the destination, and the offers from partners. This year, Air Caraïbes, Amadeus and the DMC Colonial Tours accompany The Gold Rush.

The lucky participants will board a plane from Air Caraïbes, before discovering the must-sees of the Yucatán Peninsula. They will also immerse themselves in the heart of Maya culture, roaming the archaeological sites and the ruins of this civilization.



The more adventurous will also swim in the crystal-clear waters of cenotes. An excursion to Tulum is also on the program, as well as visits to lodges, hotels and resorts featured in Exotismes brochures.


To conclude, the three grand winners will be revealed and will receive a famous gold coin, at the organizer’s headquarters or during the Exotismes evening in September 2026.

TourMaG.com will be on the trip and will bring you the adventure! Stay tuned. In the meantime, you can watch the film of the previous edition.

Accor Launches the HERA Challenge for Travel Agents


Accor lance le HERA Challenge - Photo : @Accor

IFTM


Accor announces the launch of the HERA Challenge, an international contest aimed at travel agents who are members of its HERA platform. This initiative seeks to highlight the performance and dedication of industry professionals by offering a tangible reward: a stay in Colombia in March 2026.

The 33 top advisors will be selected based on multiple criteria, including sales volumes, destinations booked, or preferred brands.

This initiative continues the HERA platform, launched a year earlier, which aims to assist travel agents with their hotel bookings via dedicated digital tools.


An Accor competition structured around 11 categories

The HERA Challenge is open exclusively to users of the HERA.Accor.com platform. The 33 winners will be distributed across 11 distinct categories. Three of them will reward the “Champions of Performance” based on either the overall sales revenue generated or the largest single sale completed on the platform. Three other categories will recognize the “Regional Stars” according to performance in the following regions: the Americas; Europe, Africa and Turkey; the Middle East, Asia and the Pacific.

In addition, five “Brand Experts” categories will honor sales made for the Orient Express, Fairmont, Raffles, Sofitel/Sofitel Legend/MGallery, and Ennismore’s lifestyle brands.

Finally, the last category, “Champions of Destinations“, will spotlight the three agents who booked trips to the largest number of different countries. The competition covers all bookings made between November 15, 2024, and November 15, 2025. Winners will be announced in December 2025.


A Colombia experience for the winners

The 33 rewarded agents will undertake a four-day experience, from March 9 to March 12, 2026, spread across two Colombian properties within the group. They will spend one night at the Sofitel Legend Santa Clara Cartagena, located in a 17th-century convent in the heart of Cartagena, and two nights at the Sofitel Barú Calablanca Beach Resort, LEED-certified and situated about 40 minutes by boat from the city.

The program includes meetings with local communities, in line with the group’s commitment to responsible travel. The Barú complex features 187 rooms and suites, several infinity pools, a spa, a gym, and restaurants, including Bahía by the sea and Humo, which blends Asian and Latin American cuisines. According to Pascal Visintainer, “the HERA Challenge is our way of highlighting and rewarding travel agents who bring our brands to life for customers around the world.”


Manon Morelli Publié par Manon Morelli Rédactrice web – TourMaG.com
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Oceania Cruises Rewards Travel Agents With a Free Cruise


Oceania Cruises lance une nouvelle opération incentive à destination des conseillers voyages européens - Depositphotos.com @portosabbia

CroisiEurope


The luxury cruise line Oceania Cruises is launching a new commercial stimulation campaign aimed at European travel advisors.

Named “Sell 5 & Sail Free”, the program runs from June 1 to June 30, 2026 and seeks to reward professionals who make new bookings on itineraries scheduled for 2026.

Under the challenge rules, travel advisors who log five new eligible bookings during the reference period will be eligible to receive a complimentary cruise from a selection of itineraries offered by the line.


An immersion into the Oceania Cruises experience

Through this initiative, Oceania Cruises aims to allow sellers to directly discover its product.

The company highlights its intimate-sized ships, its itineraries focused on immersive port calls, and its renowned culinary offering, regularly presented as one of its key strengths.

The rewarded professionals will thus be able to experience the concept “The Joy of Travelling Well” and the benefits included in the Your World Included® program.

The complimentary cruise includes accommodation for two people, access to all onboard restaurants, gratuities, Wi-Fi for one device per guest, and the choice between a drinking package or an excursions credit.


2026 itineraries Across Multiple Continents

The challenge encompasses all cruises scheduled in the company’s 2026 program. This includes numerous destinations, notably in the Mediterranean, Northern Europe, and Asia.

To be counted, bookings must be made between June 1 and June 30, 2026, with a deposit paid by July 10, 2026. Consecutive cruises will be counted as a single booking for the purpose of the operation.

The company notes that this offer is subject to availability and limited in number of seats. Specific conditions apply regarding the eligibility of bookings and the allocation of the complimentary cruises.

The detailed terms and conditions of the challenge are accessible on Oceania Cruises’ dedicated sales partners portal.


Amelia Brille Published by Amelia Brille TourMaG.com Editor
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