Customers Archives - Com Namibia

ALL Accor Aims to Attract Premium Customers With American Express

August 28, 2026 by Amara Nambinga

American Express et ALL Accor s'associent, Depositphotos.com Photo by HJBC

Costa Rica

American Express and the hotel group Accor announce a global partnership.

Through this synergy, eligible American Express cardholders gain direct access to ALL Accor program statuses and benefit from new conversion options for their loyalty points.

This new global arrangement is gradually rolled out across a dozen key markets, including France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Japan.

The main objective is to optimize the customer journey within the Accor group’s network of more than 45 brands, among which are prestigious names such as Raffles, Fairmont, and Sofitel.

The two parties aim to offer greater value and flexibility to travelers within their high-end clientele.

Some American Express Holders Will Benefit from ALL Accor Gold Status

L’un des axes centraux de cet accord repose sur l’attribution automatique de statuts au sein du programme ALL Accor pour les porteurs de cartes éligibles.

À ce titre, les titulaires des cartes Platinum, qu’il s’agisse des offres pour particuliers, TPE-PME ou entreprises, se voient accorder le statut ALL Accor Gold.

Ce niveau de privilège inclut notamment le Wi-Fi Premium, le départ tardif, des attentions personnalisées lors du séjour, des opportunités de surclassement de chambre sous réserve de disponibilité, ainsi qu’un cumul bonifié de points Rewards.

Parallèlement, la passerelle entre les programmes de fidélité permet d’effectuer un transfert des points Membership Rewards d’American Express vers ALL Accor.

En France, la conversion s’établit sur un barème de 3 points Membership Rewards pour 1 point Reward ALL Accor.

Les points ainsi transférés peuvent être utilisés pour la réservation de nuitées, des services de restauration, l’accès à des événements culturels ou sportifs, ainsi qu’auprès de l’écosystème de partenaires du groupe.

Advertising, AI, and Word-of-Mouth: What Really Makes CSP+ Customers Book [ABO]

August 24, 2026 by Amara Nambinga

96% des voyageurs ultra-luxe continuent de passer par un conseiller humain pour organiser leurs séjours, malgré les outils de réservation en ligne - DepositPhotos.com, Milkos

IFTM prenez RDV avec TourMaG

In the United States, Resonance Consultancy has tracked the spending habits of affluent travelers since 2007, in partnership with the Leger Institute.

According to its 2026 Future of Luxury Travel study, the wealthiest 10% of American households will spend $544 billion on leisure travel in 2026, with the average per-trip budget rising from $5,100 to $7,900 between 2022 and today.

A McKinsey study specifies that a third of this market now comes from clients with a net worth between $100,000 and $1 million, a profile closer to senior executives or small-to-midsize business leaders than to ultra-wealthy clients.

Trust Comes First, Not Price

According to ColorWhistle’s compilation of 2025-2026 industry studies, 96% of ultra-luxury travelers continue to rely on a professional to organize their high-end trips, despite the growing availability of online booking tools.

TravelAge West interviewed clients with budgets of at least $25,000 on why they choose this route: 84% believe that a recognized advisor provides more value than a prolonged Internet search.

Time savings tops the motivations cited, ahead of itinerary personalization and the reduction of planning-related stress.

These two studies position the travel professional as a buffer against the mental burden of planning, rather than merely a booking intermediary.

Also read: Travel agencies: how much should you invest in Google Ads to acquire a client in 2026?

AI informs, it does not decide

A Skift survey, cited by AltexSoft, shows that 93% of travelers trust artificial intelligence to obtain information about a destination.

Only 2% would entrust AI to handle a booking or a modification to a trip entirely autonomously, without human validation.

This gap marks a clear boundary between using AI as a source of information and its role in the final booking decision.

Also read: Google search evolutions: what a travel agency must anticipate for 2027

The United Kingdom Confirms the Trend

Virtuoso, which surveyed more than 2,400 advisors worldwide for its Luxe Report 2026, notes a similar shift among British and American clients: luxury is defined less by the price tag and more by authenticity and the depth of the connection to a destination.

This same definition is driving agencies like Not Just Travel, which launched in July 2026 an internal certification program to train its advisors in Asia, Europe, and the Middle East, encouraging investment in education rather than solely in the media budget.

The British luxury travel market, valued at $2.81 billion in 2025 according to Market Data Forecast, owes part of its growth to this emphasis on personalization.

What I Take Away for Advertising

In Summary

1. In the United States, wealthy households are spending more per trip, with the average budget rising from $5,100 to $7,900 between 2022 and 2026, on a market valued at $544 billion.

2. 96% of ultra-luxury travelers continue to rely on a human advisor to organize their stays, despite online booking tools.

3. Time savings motivates this choice more than access to exclusive experiences, ahead of itinerary personalization and reducing stress.

4. Travelers trust AI to inform themselves (93%), but rarely to book on their own without human validation (2%).

5. In the United Kingdom, luxury is defined more by authenticity and personalization than by the displayed price, prompting some agencies to invest in advisor training.

6. Referrals remain the sector’s most effective conversion channel at 9.5%, ahead of search and email.

Sources

– Resonance Consultancy, 2026 Future of Luxury Travel (January 2026).

– McKinsey, cited by AltexSoft, Luxury Travel Market (November 2025).

– ColorWhistle, Luxury Travel Consumer Statistics (June 2026).

– TravelAge West, Why Luxury Travelers With $25K+ Budgets Are Turning to Travel Advisors (May 2025).

– Skift, cited by AltexSoft, Travel Advisors Market (January 2026).

– Virtuoso, 2026 Luxe Report (November 2025).

– Not Just Travel, press release (July 2026).

– Market Data Forecast, UK Luxury Travel Market Size & Share Report (June 2026).

– Ruler Analytics, Travel Marketing Statistics (August 2024).

– OpinionWay for American Express, Lifestyle Trends Observatory, 4th Edition (April 2026).

Adrien Houizot is a Google Ads consultant who has specialized exclusively in the travel and tourism sector for eight years.

After working with several digital marketing agencies, he now supports travel agencies (B2C & B2B), hoteliers and providers of tourism activities.

He is the founder of Monsieur Travel Marketing.

Air Caraïbes Celebrates 25 Years of Travel With Its Customers

July 5, 2026 by Amara Nambinga

La marque Air Caraïbes célèbre 25 ans de voyages avec ses clients, photo Air Caraïbes

CroisiEurope

This year, Air Caraïbes marks its 25 years of existence: a quarter-century of history and growth dedicated to connecting mainland France, the Antilles, French Guiana, and the Caribbean. Since its creation, the airline has achieved a highly symbolic milestone by carrying 30 million passengers, equal to about 30 times the combined population of Guadeloupe, Martinique, Saint Martin, and French Guiana.

This success is, above all, the story of a family-owned entrepreneurial venture. Air Caraïbes arose from the takeover and restructuring of struggling regional Antillean carriers led by Jean-Paul Dubreuil. Today, the group is chaired by his son, Paul-Henri Dubreuil.

The company distinguished itself by becoming the first French carrier to operate the Airbus A350 XWB. It will continue on this momentum starting October 15, becoming the first to operate flights to Saint-Martin Juliana in the A350-900.

In terms of network, the airline currently serves nine destinations from Paris-Orly. It maintains a dense schedule with up to 120 long-haul flights and around 190 regional flights per week. To support this activity, Air Caraïbes relies on a fleet of 13 aircraft (including seven latest-generation Airbus A350 XWB) and the commitment of more than 1,200 employees.

To read: LIAT and Air Caraïbes join forces to strengthen Caribbean connectivity

A major contest to thank travelers

To celebrate this anniversary, Air Caraïbes has launched a major prize draw titled “30 Million Thanks!”. The campaign, which begins this Tuesday, June 2, 2026, will run until June 11, 2026.

Completely free and with no purchase requirement, the contest is accessible directly on the airline’s website.

It is open to residents of Guadeloupe, Martinique, French Guiana, Saint Martin, and mainland France. Up for grabs for participants: 10 round-trip tickets to be won on the airline’s transatlantic network.

.

Local Tourism: How to Attract Customers Within 100 Kilometers

June 29, 2026 by Amara Nambinga

Tourisme local : comment attirer les clients à moins de 100 km ? - Depositphotos.com Studiostock

CroisiEurope

Before selling travel, one must first establish its brand in the local landscape. For Fatima Faivre, regional director of Ready to Go, the priority remains physical visibility.

« The first reflexes will be communication: 4×3 signs, communication supports in the surroundings to highlight this new agency, » she explains.

The regional director explains adapting the communication radius to the territory: « In some areas, we communicate within a 10 to 20 km radius. In cities that draw several valleys, that can go up to 30 km. »

The same logic applies to Pierre Doucet, who bets on regular, multichannel communication to anchor his agencies locally.

« We run radio campaigns, bus-stop advertising, and we participate in all the trade fairs in the towns where we have shops, » he details.

For the head of the Terre D’Ailleurs network, the stakes are simple: staying visible so as not to be forgotten.

« Today, creating a travel agency is a very risky move. Customers will only come to you if they need you. You have to offer something relevant », recalls the founder who opened his Blois agency in January 2020 before having to close it during the Covid period.

The social networks: building closeness before the visit

Social networks have become essential for creating a relationship with locals before they even push open the agency door.

At Ready to Go, teams notably work on teaser videos before an opening.

« The team starts communicating about a great new thing coming to the city, in order to grab the shoppers’ attention and make them want to come see us, » explains Fatima Faivre.

Contests are also part of the tools used to create engagement.

« For a trip purchased, customers can take part in a game that will allow them to win their trip », cites the regional director of the Ready to Go network.

For Léa Joulia, founder of the online Naïa Journey agency, social networks and digital tools remain essential to tell a brand identity.

« Social networks, the website, or the newsletter are indispensable to present offers and tell the travel universe », says Léa Joulia, who is very active on Instagram.

But one must still choose the right channels. Pierre Doucet reminds that the strategy depends above all on the target clientele: « Our 60-year-old clients are on Facebook . We need to be where our customers are. »

The head of the network also uses YouTube to work on local notoriety.

Events to foster local connections

Event marketing remains a powerful lever to attract locals into a physical agency and create a tangible travel experience.

Jessica Sorin, for example, organized her agency’s inauguration on May 14 around a Polynesian immersion in her concept store Maison Manaventura.

Read also: Maison Manaventura: from Tahiti to Vendée, Jessica Sorin paves her way

Pierre Doucet, for his part, continues to rely on local trade fairs and exhibitions.

« Trade fairs are my hallmark for 30 years. It takes presence, but they create ties and a network », he explains.

To refresh the experience, the professional multiplies activities: virtual reality headsets, scratch games, or immediate discounts.

« Today, people want to win something. Even a small discount can build a relationship and trigger a booking. »

At Ready to Go, games and rewards also help to drive foot traffic to the agency.

« For example, you can reward clients who booked the most significant file. It can be valuable goodies, like a bottle of rum, a quality suitcase… or even plane tickets for a future trip. People who win talk about it to others, and that’s wonderful as well, » confirms Fatima Faivre.

Some formats, however, are losing steam. Pierre Doucet believes that traditional client evenings no longer suffice. « If it’s just offering a drink and giving a presentation, that’s no longer enough. People come if they have a real reason to come », notes the Terre d’Ailleurs founder.

Word of mouth, still king

Despite the rise of the digital world, all the professionals interviewed agree on one point: nothing replaces local recommendations.

« The network, the network, the network: network culture is essential, » sums up Pierre Doucet.

Based in Châteauroux for 30 years, he relies on daily presence in local life. « People have been seeing me around the local landscape for 30 years. This presence builds trust », he confirms.

The same sentiment for Léa Joulia, especially on experiential travel: « Word of mouth remains incredibly strong for this type of trip where the human experience matters a lot. »

The founder adds: « A satisfied traveler is your best advertisement. »

In the end, attracting clients within a 100 km radius relies less on a miracle recipe than on steady visibility, proximity, and human connection.

As Pierre Doucet summarizes: « We must stay true to ourselves, keep our values, and make sure people feel the need to come to us. »

Find all articles in our series “Very Special Agent – The Practical Guide for the Pro” by clicking this link.

Can Asia Still Surprise Your Customers in 2026?

June 22, 2026 by Amara Nambinga

CroisiEurope

Laos, Vietnam, China, Hong Kong, Malaysia… destinations now essential for travelers from France.

For tourism professionals, the challenge is no longer merely to offer them, but to tell their stories differently.

In the face of more experienced and demanding clients, itineraries are evolving: less demonstrative, more authentic. Less “checklist”, more immersive.

Present in 14 destinations in Asia, DTH Travel relies on its local teams to design tailor-made programs, aligned with these new expectations.

Laos and Vietnam: Active exploration, responsible tourism, and gentle mobility

In Laos as in Vietnam, DTH Travel develops an approach centered on gentle mobility and human-scale itineraries to foster immersion while limiting environmental impact.

In Oudomxay Province in Laos, Nam Kat Yorla Pa illustrates an approach where tourism development adapts to the forest, not the other way around.

Located along the Nam Kat River, at the heart of a protected environment, the site offers experiences built around this ecosystem: forest hikes, zip lines, guided treks by local experts, and bicycle rides.

In Vietnam, DTH Travel emphasizes gentle mobility to offer a more immersive discovery. Around Hue, bicycle and e-bike itineraries take backroads and traverse rice fields, villages and agricultural landscapes.

Regular stops allow encounters with local communities and the discovery of cultural sites.

In the essential metropolises of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, urban itineraries designed to limit car usage invite travelers to explore these destinations differently, between popular neighborhoods, street markets, culinary experiences, and cultural heritage.

Hong Kong: A Low-Carbon Urban Experience

Often perceived as a stopover destination, Hong Kong deserves a stay in its own right. DTH Travel offers here a distinctly urban and immersive approach, built around a simple principle: explore the destination in one day using only public transport and walking through its districts.

The experience relies on a highly efficient network (tramways, MTR metro, ferries), enabling you to traverse the city and explore its neighborhoods without a car.

A choice that reduces the trip’s carbon footprint while offering immediate immersion in the daily life of residents.

In Central, the exploration centers on Hollywood Road, between galleries, antique shops and street art, in a dense and vibrant urban setting.

Nearby, Upper Lascar Row (commonly known as Cat Street) brings together antique stalls and second-hand objects, ranging from porcelains to collectible pieces in a traditional market.

Across the harbor, in Kowloon, the Chi Lin Nunnery, built in the Tang Dynasty architectural style, and the Nan Lian Garden contrast with the surrounding urban intensity and offer a true breath of air in the heart of the city.

Finally, in Mong Kok, the Ladies Market embodies Hong Kong’s most popular energy. Here the market offers a wide range of everyday products, souvenirs and accessories, in a typically local atmosphere.

Minqin: Ecotourism and Local Engagement at the Heart of China

In Gansu Province, Minqin illustrates another way of discovering China.

Located between the Tengger and Badain Jaran deserts, this fragile region is defined by a delicate balance between oases, agricultural areas and arid spaces.

For decades, local communities have continuously worked to combat desertification, notably through planting saxaul trees, shrubs essential for soil stabilization and land preservation.

DTH Travel invites travelers to discover these initiatives and also to participate.

Walks along forest belts, encounters with farmers, and even participation in reforestation actions depending on the season.

The experience thus goes beyond mere discovery: it becomes contributive and educational.

A New Way to Build Travel in Asia

Through these examples, a fundamental trend is becoming clear: the value of a journey rests not only on the destination, but on how it is designed.

It is in this logic that DTH Travel supports tourism professionals: by leveraging its local teams to design tailor-made programs, capable of renewing the way these destinations are sold and experienced.

More than ever, the objective is not merely to take travelers to Asia, but to enable them to experience it differently, even when they think they already know it.

To imagine your next itineraries, the DTH Travel teams are at your disposal.

Mathilde Thrierr

[email protected]

www.dth.travel

>> DTH Travel in the DESTIMAG Directory