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 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.
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. »
« 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.
