In tourism, crises are a bit like trouble—like the saying goes, they come in swarms, a notion attributed to Jacques Chirac.
Bus operators, like other sectors, are currently facing several crises that are colliding with one another. According to the FNTV 2025-2026 activity report, the year 2025 was already a tense one.
After two years of growth, activity slowed down due to the political context and economic uncertainty.
And 2026 looks set to be even tougher. In mid-April, BlaBlaCar announced the closure of its subsidiary dedicated to Cars Macron, while bus operators have just acquired vehicles to operate routes served by the company, as Ingrid Mareschal, the FNTV’s general delegate, told us.
For its president, Jean-Sébastien Barrault, 2026 is now the year of the energy crisis.
“We are no longer in a growth-driven dynamic, but once again confronted by an energy crisis following the conflict in the Middle East. Moreover, the sector must now cope with vehicle delivery difficulties.
Global demand is strong, European production capacities have diminished, and manufacturers are struggling to secure spare parts.
On top of that, tax increases are piling up. Business leaders are adapting, but the accumulation of hurdles weighs on their morale“, he explained in this 40-page document.
Bus operators, like other sectors, are currently facing several crises that are colliding with one another. According to the FNTV 2025-2026 activity report, the year 2025 was already a tense one.
After two years of growth, activity slowed down due to the political context and economic uncertainty.
And 2026 looks set to be even tougher. In mid-April, BlaBlaCar announced the closure of its subsidiary dedicated to Cars Macron, while bus operators have just acquired vehicles to operate routes served by the company, as Ingrid Mareschal, the FNTV’s general delegate, told us.
For its president, Jean-Sébastien Barrault, 2026 is now the year of the energy crisis.
“We are no longer in a growth-driven dynamic, but once again confronted by an energy crisis following the conflict in the Middle East. Moreover, the sector must now cope with vehicle delivery difficulties.
Global demand is strong, European production capacities have diminished, and manufacturers are struggling to secure spare parts.
On top of that, tax increases are piling up. Business leaders are adapting, but the accumulation of hurdles weighs on their morale“, he explained in this 40-page document.
“Doing more with less should not be a slogan, but a method,” says the FNTV
In light of this assessment, the union emphasizes its full mobilization to its members.
Moreover, part of the sector also has to contend with a cut in public expenditure, while activity is sometimes subsidized, as is the case for urban or school transportation.
“Our challenges are immense: to succeed in the energy transition, to expand the offering, and to spark a genuine desire for coach travel to persuade more users to leave their car.
All of this within a tight budgetary context, where public money is becoming scarcer, against a backdrop of generalized cost increases, especially of fuels.
Doing more with less must not be a slogan, but a method“, continues the union president.
According to him, it is time to secure longer contracts and a more collaborative approach that would allow bus operators to project themselves into the long term.
They would thus be better positioned to invest in a newer, more environmentally friendly fleet.
“A proactive rather than punitive approach can help optimize our fares rather than embedding penalties in the prices, which mechanically raise our offers.
In other words, solid contractual practices can enable greater influence, faster decarbonization, and control of public expenditure. Our clear objective is to defend modern, safe, and accessible coach mobility.
But to succeed, we need a stable, coherent, and ambitious framework“, concludes Jean-Sébastien Barrault.
Moreover, part of the sector also has to contend with a cut in public expenditure, while activity is sometimes subsidized, as is the case for urban or school transportation.
“Our challenges are immense: to succeed in the energy transition, to expand the offering, and to spark a genuine desire for coach travel to persuade more users to leave their car.
All of this within a tight budgetary context, where public money is becoming scarcer, against a backdrop of generalized cost increases, especially of fuels.
Doing more with less must not be a slogan, but a method“, continues the union president.
According to him, it is time to secure longer contracts and a more collaborative approach that would allow bus operators to project themselves into the long term.
They would thus be better positioned to invest in a newer, more environmentally friendly fleet.
“A proactive rather than punitive approach can help optimize our fares rather than embedding penalties in the prices, which mechanically raise our offers.
In other words, solid contractual practices can enable greater influence, faster decarbonization, and control of public expenditure. Our clear objective is to defend modern, safe, and accessible coach mobility.
But to succeed, we need a stable, coherent, and ambitious framework“, concludes Jean-Sébastien Barrault.
The FNTV welcomes the Ambition France Transports conference
Among the positive achievements of 2025, the Ambition France Transports conference stands out.
It enabled the drafting of a framework law on transport development, presented to the Council of Ministers on February 11, 2026. It established a framework offering financial prospects and clarified governance for road passenger terminals.
Moreover, the famous Cars Macron, celebrating their 10th anniversary at the time, surpassed their pre-crisis activity level.
“”They have undoubtedly earned their place in the mobility offer, but their development will depend on upgrading infrastructure, especially road stations.
By tackling this issue head-on, one can hope that the law resulting from the Ambition France Transports conference will give a boost to the ‘Cars Macron’,” explained the union president.
He also mentioned a reduced tension in employment, particularly for drivers, even though the balance remains fragile. The average age of drivers exceeds 50 years. A significant renewal will therefore need to be undertaken in the coming years.
A substantial effort to rejuvenate and modernize the profession remains to be pursued.
It enabled the drafting of a framework law on transport development, presented to the Council of Ministers on February 11, 2026. It established a framework offering financial prospects and clarified governance for road passenger terminals.
Moreover, the famous Cars Macron, celebrating their 10th anniversary at the time, surpassed their pre-crisis activity level.
“”They have undoubtedly earned their place in the mobility offer, but their development will depend on upgrading infrastructure, especially road stations.
By tackling this issue head-on, one can hope that the law resulting from the Ambition France Transports conference will give a boost to the ‘Cars Macron’,” explained the union president.
He also mentioned a reduced tension in employment, particularly for drivers, even though the balance remains fragile. The average age of drivers exceeds 50 years. A significant renewal will therefore need to be undertaken in the coming years.
A substantial effort to rejuvenate and modernize the profession remains to be pursued.
Pioneers Forum 2026: Egypt’s Tourism Leaders Confront Uncertainty
From May 30 to June 4, 2026, 130 tourism decision-makers will fly to Egypt, traveling between Cairo and Aswan, with Luxor on the route.
Placed under the theme “Steering the Uncertain,” this new edition promises to be rich in exchanges, in reflections and in discoveries!
Placed under the theme “Steering the Uncertain,” this new edition promises to be rich in exchanges, in reflections and in discoveries!
An edition focused on meetings, exchanges and professional opportunities
Created in 2000 by Pierre Amalou, the promise of the Forum des Pionniers has not changed for more than two decades: to create the conditions for shared reflection on the topics that stir the sector, in an environment conducive to in-depth discussions and to professional rapprochement. Participants find there as much strategic keys as concrete opportunities for collaboration, in a climate of trust and sharing.
The 2026 edition can rely on the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities of Egypt, signaling strong government commitment to the event and marking the country’s tourism ambitions. EgyptAir, one of the oldest airlines in the world and a spearhead of Egyptian connectivity, as well as Travel Evasion, a French specialist in the destination, lend their support to this new edition.
This year, renowned companies such as Adyen, Agapè CSR, Allianz Partners, Alma, Atlas, HDB Solutions, Impact Consultants, Orange Travel, PenguinWorld (Quartier Libre, Resaneo, SpeedMedia), Travel Tech Factory and Vox Group have confirmed their presence as sponsors of the 24th edition of the Forum des Pionniers.
This year, renowned companies such as Adyen, Agapè CSR, Allianz Partners, Alma, Atlas, HDB Solutions, Impact Consultants, Orange Travel, PenguinWorld (Quartier Libre, Resaneo, SpeedMedia), Travel Tech Factory and Vox Group have confirmed their presence as sponsors of the 24th edition of the Forum des Pionniers.
Un terrain de réflexion collective pour décrypter les grandes mutations du secteur
The 2026 theme “Steering the Uncertain” invites us to measure what is at stake today in the world of tourism. The traditional reference points of the trade have been upended in just a few years, pushing leaders to invent new methods of steering.
Between geopolitical instability, the emergence of artificial intelligence in all professions, and a coming wave of leadership transitions, the daily life of executives has changed. The Forum aims to provide a space to pose the right questions and to elicit operational answers, drawing on the diversity of experiences gathered in the room.
Between geopolitical instability, the emergence of artificial intelligence in all professions, and a coming wave of leadership transitions, the daily life of executives has changed. The Forum aims to provide a space to pose the right questions and to elicit operational answers, drawing on the diversity of experiences gathered in the room.
● How to decide and commit resources when the economic and geopolitical horizon is clouded?
● What role should AI play in travel professions, and how to preserve what gives teams their value?
● How to hand down, tomorrow, a tourism business, and what does that entail to prepare today?
Workshops on collective intelligence, masterclasses and moments of exchange will pace the reflection. These formats are designed to bring forth participants’ voices, rather than place them in the audience’s position.
● What role should AI play in travel professions, and how to preserve what gives teams their value?
● How to hand down, tomorrow, a tourism business, and what does that entail to prepare today?
Workshops on collective intelligence, masterclasses and moments of exchange will pace the reflection. These formats are designed to bring forth participants’ voices, rather than place them in the audience’s position.
At the end, juxtaposed viewpoints, shared concrete cases and, true to the Forum’s DNA, professional connections that extend far beyond the event. The Pioneers will depart with a sharper reading of the ongoing transformations, practical tools to address them, and a network of peers that can be activated throughout the year.
L’Égypte en toile de fond, entre patrimoine universel et nouvelle dynamique touristique
It is in Cairo and along the Nile that the Pioneers community will gather. Egypt, which surpassed 19 million visitors in 2025, is experiencing an unprecedented phase of tourism growth not seen in decades. The country has made tourism a pillar of its economic strategy, closely linking it to the valorization of its heritage.
The recent opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum, the rehabilitation of major pharaonic sites, and the upgrade of hotel offerings compose a picture where historic heritage sits alongside a genuine ambition for renewal. Forum participants will discover this duality through immersion, through visits to major sites and meetings with local players who shape today’s Egyptian tourism.
This destination provides a particularly illuminating setting for leaders who come to question their own steering repertoires. Beyond the framework, Egypt adds additional material for reflection on a sector’s ability to transform without denying what makes it unique.
The recent opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum, the rehabilitation of major pharaonic sites, and the upgrade of hotel offerings compose a picture where historic heritage sits alongside a genuine ambition for renewal. Forum participants will discover this duality through immersion, through visits to major sites and meetings with local players who shape today’s Egyptian tourism.
This destination provides a particularly illuminating setting for leaders who come to question their own steering repertoires. Beyond the framework, Egypt adds additional material for reflection on a sector’s ability to transform without denying what makes it unique.
