Grand Est Travel Agencies Weather a Turbulent Market


Fabrice Poulain, nouveau président des EDV Grand Est, a ouvert la convention qui se tient actuellement au Shandrani Beachcomber, à l'Ile Maurice - Photo CE

Attitude Hotels


« I’m pleased to have filled up in the current context » a lancé Fabrice Poulain, directeur général de Fensch Voyages, qui ouvrait sa première convention des EDV Grand Est, qui se tient actuellement au Shandrani Beachcomber à l’Ile Maurice, sous sa nouvelle casquette de président.

« Je m’inscris dans la continuité du travail accompli par Michelle Kunegel (dirigeant de LK Tours et ex-présidente des EDV Grand Est, ndlr). » a-t-il poursuivi.

Le président, accompagné des administrateurs et d’un bureau composé de Delphine Schwanger (Josy Tourisme) vice-présidente Alsace, Bertrand Billerey (FAB Travel) vice-président Champagne, Sandra Fagnoni (Sangio Horizons) trésorière et Laetitia Jacques (EuroMoselle Loisirs) secrétaire, souhaite aussi engager une dynamique de recrutement de nouveaux adhérents.

L’événement réunit 46 participants, dont deux agences non adhérentes aux EDV, autour de conférences, de tables rondes, du traditionnel workshop inversé et d’ateliers pratiques.


The Role of EDV


Guillaume Beurdeley a rappelé le rôle et les missions des Entreprises du Voyage - Photo CE

Guillaume Beurdeley, secrétaire général adjoint des Entreprises du Voyage, a ainsi rappelé que l’organisation repose sur deux grands piliers : la défense collective des intérêts de la profession et les services proposés aux adhérents.

Ces derniers comprennent notamment un accompagnement juridique, social et fiscal, la mise en place de webinaires d’experts et la publication de ressources consacrées à la facturation électronique ou encore à l’intelligence artificielle, sans oublier les services de formations via Travel Pro Formation.

Sur le volet de la défense des intérêts collectifs, le secrétaire général adjoint a ajouté que le syndicat intervient auprès des pouvoirs publics français et européens, notamment sur la directive Voyages à forfait, la convention collective, la réglementation aérienne ou encore la lutte contre l’exercice illégal de la profession.

Eva Gonzalez, cofondatrice de l’agence de voyages Rev’ d’Evasion qui n’est pas adhérente aux EDV a apprécié les échanges : « There is a real exchange; we discover a lot of things. The inverse workshop was also great. The conferences are also very good. But above all, the act of exchanging is important. Everyone is listening, there is sharing.

Ça rebooste, et cela donne de nouvelles idées. On réapprend finalement à connaître les EDV
».


EDV Barometer: “In terms of bookings, there is a certain return to normal”


Les participants à la convention EDV Grand Est dans le hall d'entrée du Shandrani Beachcomber à l'Ile Maurice - Photo CE

Au-delà de ces missions, la convention a également été l’occasion de faire le point sur la conjoncture et sur l’activité des opérateurs de voyage.

Guillaume Beurdeley a rappelé les chiffres du dernier baromètre des Entreprises du Voyage, issu des données Orchestra.

After a difficult spring, affected by the Middle East conflict, August showed early positive signals. However, September 2026 remains below September 2025 in departures, although the decline is less pronounced than in the previous month.

Le nombre de dossiers en départs diminue ainsi de 5,5% sur un an, contre -9% en août. Le volume d’affaires recule de 4,1%, tandis que le panier moyen progresse de 1,5%, à 1 853 euros.

« En termes de prises de réservation, on trouve un certain retour à la normale », a toutefois précisé Guillaume Beurdeley lors de la convention. Les réservations enregistrées en septembre reculent en effet de seulement 1,7% en nombre de dossiers, tandis que le volume d’affaires progresse de 3,3%. Le panier moyen atteint 2 004 euros, soit une hausse de 5,1%.


Les opérateurs du Grand Est sont plus résistants

Sur le terrain, Fatima Faivre, directrice du réseau Prêt-à-Partir, constate que la classe moyenne n’est plus là : « Les familles nous ont manqué cet été et ont été compensées par des personnes qui ont davantage de temps et d’argent, notamment des actifs et des retraités.

On perd des passagers, cela m’inquiète et m’interroge, mais c’est compensé par un prix moyen très important.

Nous avons aussi réalisé cet été des dossiers d’un montant que nous n’avions pas l’habitude de faire auparavant. Je reste cependant très optimiste. Cette année a quand même été positive.
»

Pour Fabrice Poulain, les opérateurs du Grand Est sont plus résistants à la crise actuelle : « Notre positionnement géographique nous permet de bénéficier d’un grand nombre de possibilités, au départ de Strasbourg, de Bâle-Mulhouse mais aussi du Luxembourg.

Nous pouvons profiter des prix très compétitifs des tour-opérateurs allemands, et bénéficier aussi de la qualité des produits Luxair et LuxairTours, qui est le premier le tour-opérateur dans le Grand Est.
 »


C’est surtout vrai pour les agences situées dans une zone proche des frontières.

Philippe Blanchet, directeur commercial d’Euro Moselle Loisirs le confirme. Son réseau situé en Moselle et Meurthe-et-Moselle profite de la proximité notamment du Luxembourg : « Notre clientèle française se compose à la fois d’actifs qui travaillent pour beaucoup au Luxembourg, où les salaires sont plus élevés, et de retraités qui ont également travaillé de l’autre côté de la frontière. Ils sont donc moins sensibles à l’inflation.

D’autre part, nous pouvons nous appuyer sur le large réseau moyen-courrier de Luxair qui nous permet de proposer un large éventail de destinations. »

Un constat partagé par Régis Heitzler, fondateur de Voyage De Rêve à Neuf-Brisach dans le Haut-Rhin, une commune proche de la Suisse et de l’Allemagne, où de nombreux Français travaillent, passant chaque jour de l’autre côté de la frontière : « Les salaires sont plus élevés, les problématiques de pouvoir d’achat moins prégnantes et nous bénéficions d’offres particulièrement compétitives de la part des voyagistes allemand[s]. »


The Rise of Japan’s Haunted Real Estate Market

Tokyo is brimming with stories that send a chill down the spine. Ryua experiences one on a daily basis. From her very first visit to this apartment in the Japanese capital, the young woman recounts to the BBC, on Friday, October 30, that she sensed something was off. She recalls that a man stood there, fixing her with a dark gaze. The real estate agent, for his part, saw absolutely nothing. Rather than flee, this young aidoru, or performer in the entertainment world, decided to move in anyway.

“I’m a bit of a nonconformist, so I decided to befriend this peculiar male ghost,” she explains. Four years later, she still lives in the same studio where she hears spectral voices and footsteps. Far beyond Halloween folklore, Japan holds a singular relationship with spirits, such as the yōkai.

No Hiding the Property’s History

In the Land of the Rising Sun, there is a whole vocabulary tied to paranormal phenomena and even a term for those tormented spirits who refuse to leave: yuurei. These wandering souls are thought to be people who died under violent or tragic circumstances, who took their own lives, fell victim to murder, or died alone in their homes. For buyers or tenants who aren’t particularly superstitious, this belief opens the door to advantageous deals.

When searching for housing in Japan, it isn’t surprising to come across a category of discounted properties, the jiko bukken (literally “stigmatized or incident-related properties” in French). In line with government guidelines in force since 2021, real estate agencies are required to disclose to buyers any tragedy that occurred there resulting in a disappearance.

This transparency, mandatory for three years for rentals and indefinitely for sales, makes a big difference for the wallet. In Ryua’s case, she had been told clearly that a man had committed suicide in her 25-square-meter studio, located in the trendy Setagaya district. She pays 45,000 yen per month, about 254 euros, versus the usual 62,000 yen asked for such a property. A discount of nearly 30%!

Oshimaland, a site specialized in these transactions

The Tokyo-based real estate agent Erik Oskamp confirms that Japanese people are particularly reluctant when faced with these offers. If an apartment near a cemetery struggles to find a buyer, it’s even more difficult when the dwelling is one in which someone has died by suicide. When they learn about it afterward, most tenants quickly pack their bags.

This cultural reluctance sometimes benefits different profiles, such as Diane Tincher, an American who has lived in Japan for nearly forty years. In Kagoshima’s rural region in the southwest, she was able to acquire a large three-bedroom house for about half the usual price, solely because an elderly woman had died there. She says she does not believe in ghosts, but concedes that the Japanese do hold firm beliefs about them. “If there is a ghost, I am grateful to it every day… to live in such a splendid and affordable house”, she jokes in a BBC interview.

To hunt down this rare gem, Diane Tincher turned to the Internet. Launched in 2005, Oshimaland is a site dedicated to crowd-sourced listings of these “stigmatized properties” across Japan, and now also internationally. In the past, these homes had little appeal, but the surge in real estate prices and the cost of living has given them renewed visibility. A 2025 survey reveals that more than half of Japanese people today say they would be willing to rent a jiko bukken if the rent remains sufficiently enticing.

Star Clippers Makes Its Mark on the French Market


La navigation à la voile participe naturellement au positionnement de la marque - Photo : Star Clippers

PONANT


The success of Star Clippers with travel professionals remains strong.

Exception Voyages, for instance, will charter a portion of the fleet next year to run cruises with guest speakers.

Kuoni will offer on May 8, 2027 an exclusive departure aboard the Royal Clipper, Star Clippers’ five-masted ship capable of accommodating up to 227 guests.

This eight-day, seven-night voyage, reserved for Kuoni’s clients only, will depart from Nice and call at Portofino, Portoferraio on Elba, Bonifacio, Alghero, Ajaccio and Monaco, then return to Nice.

Two speakers and a Kuoni ambassador will accompany the travelers.

The price starts at €2,490 per person, based on two occupants per cabin, with a 10% discount included for bookings made before 31 October 2026.


A distribution that is largely intermediated

The company relies on a distribution that is predominantly mediated through intermediaries.

More than 80% of its activity goes through travel professionals. “This is not a mass-market product that you buy in the evening from your couch by clicking a link. It is a genuine travel project that takes preparation.” insists Eliana Bouvet, the France representative of Star Clippers, whom we met at IFTM 2026.

For this reason, Star Clippers is increasing its training, webinars, workshops and roadshows. “We are ready to welcome everyone, but the product is not for everyone either. We mustn’t get it wrong.”, acknowledges the France representative.


Taking clients to destinations others don’t go to

Star Clippers does not plan to expand its fleet for the time being, but the company makes up for it by renewing its itineraries and pushing its positioning at lesser-known ports, relying on its three sailing ships that accommodate between 166 and 227 passengers.

Nearly 30 new destinations will thus appear in the Mediterranean program for the summer of 2027. Most of them will be carried forward into 2028, with sales expected to open soon.

Greece accounts for a large share of the novelties. Star Clippers announces more than ten new calls, including Milos, Astypaléa, Andros, Kastellorizo, Parga, Karpathos, Pythagoreio, Samos, Skyros and Symi. A cruise along the Athos Peninsula is also planned.

The Eastern Mediterranean will also welcome a new home port in Antalya, in addition to Athens and Istanbul. New calls are planned on the Turkish coast at Çeşme, Datça, Fethiye and Kaş, as well as off the island of Kekova.

To the west, the sailing ships will notably call at Peñíscola, Ceuta and Roses in Spain. In Italy, the company schedules Agropoli, the gateway to the Paestum archaeological site, as well as Palermo, Termini Imerese, Trapani, Carloforte on Sardinia and Vibo Marina, which provides access to Tropea.


A loyalty rate above 60%

Beyond the ports of call, the small size of the ships, open access to the bridge, the opportunity to take part in the maneuvers and the absence of a strict dress code all contribute to the customer experience.

“Meeting people is also part of the journey. The landscapes may sometimes look similar, but the people you meet aboard are also what leaves a lasting impression on travelers.” observes Eliana Bouvet.

The company summarizes this promise with an English motto: “Sailing brings people together.”

Notably, sailing naturally contributes to the brand’s positioning.

In the Caribbean, where trade winds are more reliable, sailing can account for up to 60% of travel time, an ecological advantage that helps persuade clients to try the cruise product.


Laurent Guéna Published by Laurent Guéna Journalist – TourMaG.com
See all articles by Laurent Guéna

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Strasbourg Christmas Market: Why This Year’s Festivities Will Be Cut Short

Admired by millions of visitors each year, Strasbourg’s Christmas market tree was installed on Monday morning, despite the risk of spillovers tied to social protests.

Hanging from a crane, the imposing 30-meter-tall evergreen slowly rose under the gaze of passers-by, finally standing as it does every year on Place Kléber, the usual epicenter of demonstrations in Strasbourg, where 15,000 protesters had gathered on October 17.

The Christmas Market Will Not Be Extended Through December 27 After All

“We will protect it and we will stay vigilant there”, said Mathieu Cahn, the first deputy to the mayor of Strasbourg. “The grand tree in Strasbourg is above all a symbol of joy and happiness. I don’t really see why it would be a target”, he added.

The installation of the tree, initially planned for Friday, had been postponed to Monday for “technical reasons” and “the mobilization of staff and resources”, according to the city hall.

This postponement coincided with the staging of a new demonstration, which drew 6,600 people on Saturday according to authorities. Held on the edge of the city center, it proceeded largely in calm fashion. On October 17, shop windows were broken and stores looted near Place Kléber.

The trauma of these acts of violence remains vivid. “I hope they won’t set the tree on fire”, said Anne, a retiree who came to admire the installation. She added “to fear the worst”, due to the new calls to protest on October 31.

Because of the demonstrations, and the substantial police presence they require, the City of Strasbourg also announced on Monday that it would drop its plan to extend the Christmas Market until December 27.

“We would have liked to go a bit further, but with the ongoing social movements it was not possible”, explained Mathieu Cahn, citing the “recovery time” necessary for the forces. The market will proceed, as every year, from November 27 to December 24.

As in previous years since the 2018 attack that claimed five lives, Strasbourg’s Christmas Market, which welcomed 3.05 million visitors last year, requires a significant police presence. In 2025, about a thousand officers were patrolling the streets of Strasbourg daily.

Travel One Portugal/Madeira: Expanding into the Quebec Market with a Door-to-Door Mission and Participation in SITV 2026 in Montreal


© Travel One Portugal - Visuel généré par IA

PONANT



From October 29 to November 2, 2026, Jennifer Thiebaut, Commercial Manager, and Alexandre Richard, Sales Director, will be in Montreal to meet tourism professionals and develop new partnerships around Madeira and Portugal as destinations.

This first commercial mission in Quebec will be organized around two key moments: a “Door to Door” operation with Montreal travel agencies and participation in SITV – the International Tourism and Travel Show.


A Door-to-Door Campaign with Agencies


© Travel One Portugal

During their stay, Jennifer Thiebaut and Alexandre Richard will directly approach Montreal’s travel agencies to present Travel One’s offer and to exchange with professionals about their expectations and their clients’ needs.

This close-contact approach will also help to better grasp the specificities of the Quebec market and to establish new contacts with agencies interested in Madeira and Portugal.

« Going to meet the agencies directly on the ground is essential to understand the particularities of each market. Quebec represents a new step in our Francophone development and we mainly want to build connections with professionals, listen to their expectations and provide tangible solutions for their clients, » explains Travel One’s commercial team.


Travel One at SITV Montreal


© Travel One Portugal

The mission will continue with participation in SITV, the essential tourism event in Montreal. The show will be an opportunity for Travel One to reconnect with existing partners, but also to meet new players in the Quebec market.

These exchanges will allow presenting Madeira and Portugal travel options, while strengthening business relationships with professionals interested in these destinations. Through this presence in Montreal, Travel One aims to highlight the diversity of the offering across its two flagship destinations.

Madeira enchants with the variety of its experiences: preserved nature, hiking, heritage, gastronomy, outdoor activities and moments of relaxation. Mainland Portugal, from Porto to the Algarve, offers a remarkable diversity of regions, landscapes and experiences. This complementarity enables addressing a wide range of travel projects, from cultural tours to seaside getaways.


The objective is to give Quebec agencies better visibility of the possibilities offered by these destinations and to position Travel One as a partner for the design and execution of trips to Portugal and Madeira.


A New Milestone in Francophone Development

This Quebec mission is part of a long-term development approach. After consolidating its presence with professionals in France, Belgium and Switzerland, Travel One now aims to forge lasting ties with the Quebec distribution network.

The linguistic and cultural proximity is an asset for starting these initial exchanges, while allowing Travel One to better understand the particularities and the expectations specific to the Canadian Francophone market.

« Our objective is not simply to come to a market for a few days. We want to progressively build a relationship with Quebec professionals and place Madeira and Portugal within a true commercial dynamic in this market, » emphasizes Alexandre Richard.

As Travel One develops in Francophone markets, it now positions itself as a reference DMC for Portugal and Madeira among Francophone professionals, relying on its local teams, its destination knowledge and its ability to design programs tailored to the expectations of each market.

This recognition was notably demonstrated during Travel One’s presence at IFTM Paris, where meeting numerous tourism professionals confirmed the interest and trust placed in Travel One by players in the Francophone market. This participation also helped strengthen relations with its historic partners and establish new business contacts.

With this mission in Montreal, Travel One’s French-speaking teams aim to lay the first foundations of their development in Quebec, prioritizing direct meetings, dialogue with agencies and the creation of new collaborations.

From October 29 to November 2, 2026, between agency visits and SITV participation, Travel One thus goes to meet Quebec professionals with a clear ambition: to introduce Madeira and Portugal and to develop new commercial opportunities in this market.



Brand USA Travel Week 2026: Reclaiming the European Market


Pour l'édition 2026, plus de 5 620 rendez-vous avaient été préprogrammés entre vendeurs, acheteurs et médias - Photo : PB

PONANT


It was more than 350 American exhibitors that Brand USA Travel Week UK & Europe 2026, held for the first time in Amsterdam, a major air hub in continental Europe for serving the United States, mobilized from September 28 to October 1.

To meet them, more than 300 buyers – tour operators, travel agencies – and media had travelled to attend. And over 5,620 appointments had been pre-programmed.

Ten French buyers were present: Les Ateliers du Voyage, PerfectStay, Terre d’Escales, AmeriGo, Partir Visiteurs, Angèle, Voyage Privé, Les Grandes Evasions, Nautil and Evaneos.

The objective of these four days of one-to-one meetings, conferences, networking sessions and event evenings was to stimulate European demand.

Although still considerable, European arrivals to the United States are indeed down. In its initial business plan, Brand USA had projected 17.9 million European visitors in 2026, i.e. more than the 16.7 million in 2025.

Unfortunately, as the year progressed, this forecast had to be revised downward, particularly for Germany, France and the United Kingdom.


A Timidity Not Solely Attributable to Trump

Even worse, between January and the end of September 2026, only about 8.5 million Europeans, including the United Kingdom, visited the United States.

Obviously, at the time of the assessment, 2026 will mark a decline in European visitation to the United States, despite the strong emphasis on promoting the historic Route 66 and the FIFA World Cup, which did not generate the level of international visitation hoped for.

Also read: USA: “the only major country in the world to lose tourists”

While Americans continued to come in large numbers to France (nearly 5.5 million in 2025, according to Atout France), the French themselves were shying away. In 2025, only 1.59 million of them visited the United States, i.e. down 6.8% from 2024.

Even though some destinations (New York, Washington, New Orleans, etc.) performed better, the situation further deteriorated at the start of 2026 with only 455,875 French visitors from January to April, which did not prevent France from climbing back to the second European rank and the eighth global rank in that period.

Donald Trump’s policies and the Middle East war are not the only factors weighing on French appetites for America: the sharp rise in the necessary budget (higher airfares, hotel costs and cost of living) is also a brake.


“Creating the Demand of Tomorrow”


Table-ronde, à Amsterdam, autour de Fred Dixon et des sponsors de l'édition 2026 de la Travel Week - Photo : PB

In this context, the slogan “Creating the Demand of Tomorrow” highlighted by Brand USA in Amsterdam has taken on full meaning.

This objective, Fred Dixon, the CEO of Brand USA, summed up as follows: “Building the demand of tomorrow begins with strengthening today the partnerships (with European buyers, ndlr) that will allow us to develop it.”

To win back the European and international market, Brand USA is also counting heavily on its new digital ecosystem: “America the Beautiful”.

This term designates both the global brand platform launched during the Travel Week in London in 2025 (it notably includes an AI-based travel planning tool, the American Originals storytelling series – 197 million views -, the Get Facts. Get Going. information site for travelers) and the international promotional campaign rolled out on the main source markets.

In fact, the first results look promising: the campaign “America the Beautiful” enjoys 84% favorable opinions across all markets and 60% of those who saw it said they are considering a trip to the United States, compared with only 31% among those who did not see it.


In 2027, the Bicentennial of the Train in the United States


Parti de Denver (Colorado), le train de luxe Canyon Spirit traverse le canyon de Spanish Fork, avant d'arriver à destination à Salt Lake City (Utah) - Photo : Brand USA

These data align perfectly with Brand USA’s strategy: to move beyond the usual entry points (New York, Florida and the American West) to showcase a broader, more diverse America, thanks to marketing that leans more toward storytelling, experiences, thematic itineraries, multi-region circuits, the great outdoors, national parks, small towns, and not to mention luxury, music or gastronomy.

In a context of hesitant demand, the commercial battle will hinge on the price-quality relationship and the ability of industry professionals to craft trips that visitors cannot easily assemble on their own, but also on differentiating experiences.

Thus, beyond 2026, which marked the hundredth anniversary of the creation of this legendary route, Route 66 is set to become one of the showcases of American tourism.

To promote it, a four-episode series “A Beautiful Detour” has been included in the America the Beautiful platform ecosystem.

Moreover, beyond the numerous innovations (hotel openings, museums, events, meetings, etc.) identified by Brand USA and presented on its official site, as well as an updated dossier on the American luxury offer, the official promotional body for the United States will particularly highlight some major 2027 events on the European market. Notably the fifth anniversary of Elvis Presley’s death and the bicentennial of the arrival of the train in the United States, which will spur numerous events and exhibitions nationwide.

Rich in storytelling, the history of the American rail is likely to stimulate the imaginations and thus the travel desires of Europeans seeking escape, original experiences, slow travel, and the wide open spaces of America.


21 New Direct Connections Between Europe and the United States


Présentation des nouvelles lignes directes France-Etats-Unis à la Travel Week - Photo : PB

The improvement of transatlantic air connectivity could also help rekindle Europeans’ appetite for America.

It will continue to develop in 2027, with 21 new direct connections between Europe and the United States.

France, of course, is involved, with:

* on March 27, the opening by Delta Air Lines of a Paris (CDG) – Austin (Texas) service

* on April 26, the launch of a daily Toulouse – Washington D.C. (Dulles) flight by United Airlines

* on May 6, the launch by American Airlines of a daily flight: Nice – NYC (JFK)

* on May 25, the opening of a direct Paris (CDG) – Seattle (Washington State) by Alaska Airlines

*and finally, on June 4, the launch of a seasonal link (through September 5) Marseille – Newark (New York region) by United Airlines.

Still CEO of Brand USA during the Amsterdam Travel Week, Fred Dixon will return on December 1, 2026 to lead NYC Tourism + Conventions, which he had left two years earlier.


Flight Market Barometer: Maghreb Holds Steady as Southern Europe Breaks Through


Baromètre Bourse des Vols : le Maghreb résiste et l'Europe du Sud fait une percée - Photo Canva

CroisiEurope


The BDV Travel Barometer for September confirms the resilience of Maghreb destinations and the breakthrough of Southern Europe.

Saint-Denis de La Réunion retains the top spot for searches from France, despite a 33% dip.

Algiers ranks second (-4%), ahead of Bangkok (+17%). Marrakech (+40%), Oran (+24%) and Tunis (+34%) also display positive momentum.

Palma de Mallorca records a strong rise of 199%. Conversely, the overseas departments remain behind, with declines for Pointe-à-Pitre (-37%) and Fort-de-France (-14%). Mauritius suffers the steepest drop in the top 10, at -56%.

TOP 10 from France


The BDV barometer by airport highlights contrasting trends depending on the departure catchment area.

Maghreb destinations show strong growth from Lyon, while Mediterranean and European destinations record notable gains from Bordeaux, Basel, and Nantes.

Ultramarine destinations, on the other hand, display more varied changes, with significant declines when departing from Paris, Marseille, and Bordeaux.

In Lyon, Algiers soars by 217%, Tunis by 127%, and Marrakech by 72%. In Marseille, Bangkok (+66%), Nosy Be (+160%), and Oran (+169%) stand out, despite a 77% drop for Algiers. In Bordeaux, Ajaccio (+825%) and Palma de Mallorca (+580%) rise strongly. Nantes confirms its appeal for islands and sunshine, with Tenerife +475% and Bastia +464%.

From Nice, searches for Yerevan explode (+1,400%), as do those for Tel Aviv (+892%). These shifts concern searches, not actual bookings.

TOP 10 from Paris and 7 regional airports

For All Saints’ Day, Marrakech leads the destinations searched, ahead of Algiers and Réunion. Casablanca climbs 13 places, while Bangkok advances by 3 spots, confirming the appeal of long-haul travel.

TOP 10 All Saints’ Day Vacations

« The September results confirm active price arbitrage searches on one-way flights ( Palma surge, continued Maghreb interest) and a shift toward nearby getaways. For All Saints’ Day, searches are heavily oriented toward sun‑rich destinations (Marrakech in the lead, Maghreb heavily represented) while maintaining solid demand for long-haul trips (Réunion, Bangkok, Madagascar).

For All Saints’ Day, searches are overwhelmingly directed toward accessible sun destinations (Marrakech leading, with strong Maghreb representation) while maintaining solid demand for long-haul getaways (Réunion, Bangkok, Madagascar). », explains Caroline Gachet, Marketing & E-commerce Director of BDV Travel.

The packaged product barometer reveals mixed trends. France leads the sales of stays (+36%), ahead of the Dominican Republic, a sharp decline (-77%), and Italy (-19%). In terms of tours, the United States remains in first place despite a 33% drop, followed by Canada (+2%). Tanzania rises by 30%, while Egypt falls by 42%.

Barometer BDV Travel


Top 10 from France

✈ TOP 10 DESTINATIONS

▶
From France by search volume – September 2026
Variation in search volume vs N-1

1
Saint-Denis La Réunion – Roland Garros

▼33 %

2
Algiers – Houari Boumediene

▼4 %

3
Bangkok

▲17 %

4
Pointe-à-Pitre – Le Raizet

▼37 %

5
Marrakech Menara

▲40 %

6
Oran – Ahmed Ben Bella

▲24 %

7
Fort-de-France – Lamentin

▼14 %

8
Tunis – Carthage

▲34 %

9
Palma de Mallorca

▲199 %

10
Mauritius – Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam

▼56 %

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Top 10 from Paris and 7 regional airports

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New York Targets the French Market and Expands Its Air Services


New York mise sur le marché français et renforce son offre aérienne - Depositphotos.com Auteur petrkurgan

CroisiEurope


New York broadens its accessibility from France.

According to New York City Tourism + Conventions, the city welcomed 725,000 French visitors in 2025, making France its fourth international market, behind the United Kingdom, Canada and Italy.

For 2026, the tourism body foresees 65.4 million visitors, including 738,000 French nationals, representing a 1.7% year-on-year increase.

To meet this demand, airlines are strengthening their schedules between France and the two main New York airports, John F. Kennedy (JFK) and Newark Liberty (EWR).


Paris – New York: 5,000 additional seats

For winter 2026-2027, French bee plans up to seven weekly flights between Paris-Orly and Newark, i.e. 5,000 additional seats compared to the previous winter.

In the summer period, seven carriers currently offer up to 22 direct daily flights between Paris and New York, equating to around 5,000 seats per day departing from Paris, according to estimates from New York City Tourism + Conventions.

From Paris-Charles-de-Gaulle, Air France and Delta Air Lines operate services to JFK, while Air France and United Airlines also run connections to Newark. American Airlines and JetBlue complete the JFK offerings.

From Paris-Orly, French bee provides up to ten weekly flights to Newark in peak season.

La Compagnie also serves Newark from Orly, with a daily flight operated exclusively in business class.


Nice and Marseille: new direct flights to New York

Beyond Paris, the southern part of France is also benefiting from the growth of direct links to New York.

Nice already has seasonal routes operated by Delta Air Lines to JFK and United Airlines to Newark. The airline extends its Newark service through winter 2026-2027, with two weekly flights.

On May 7, 2027, American Airlines plans to launch a daily service between Nice and JFK. The route will be operated with an Airbus A321XLR featuring 155 seats. With this opening, four airlines will offer a direct connection from Nice to New York.

Marseille-Provence should also join the transatlantic network. United Airlines will inaugurate, on June 5, 2027, a daily nonstop service between Marseille and Newark.


JFK continues its modernization

The growth of air links goes hand in hand with investments in New York’s airport infrastructure. JFK’s New Terminal One is entering a modernization program valued at nearly $19 billion, supported by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.

The first phase of the terminal is expected in the first quarter of 2027.

Air France plans to relocate all of its flights there. The airline is also set to open a lounge exceeding 2,700 m², which will become the largest in its international network. The lounge is planned to be spread over two levels, with more than 400 seats and dining spaces highlighting French gastronomy.

CruisePro Set to Expand the French Cruise Market


Après une rénovation à Brest, le Quenn Mary 2, ici dans le canal du Panama, reprendra la mer à l’occasion d’une nouvelle traversée transatlantique au départ du Havre le 25 juin @Cunard

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Fifteen brands, but not fifteen companies doomed to compete for the same passengers.

For Emmanuel Joly, head of Cruisepro, the breadth of the portfolio is, on the contrary, the main lever for the growth of the general travel agency in France. « All of our brands meet demand without cannibalizing each other », he asserts.

Royal Caribbean targets families and fans of large ships, Virgin Voyages targets adults, while Celebrity Cruises occupies the premium segment.

Cunard cherishes its maritime heritage, NCL leans toward a more relaxed offering, and Azamara focuses on destination immersion.

Cruisepro also covers luxury and ultra-luxury with Silversea, Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Oceania Cruises, Seabourn, Crystal Cruises or Hapag-Lloyd Cruises. AmaWaterways finally enables its presence on the river cruise segment.


Cruisepro: deals with networks “in the works”

The proliferation of brands is therefore not aimed at repartitioning the existing client base. It is intended to widen the market by offering responses to profiles and budgets that are very different.

To achieve this, Cruisepro wants to strengthen its ties with travel agencies. Emmanuel Joly notes that signatures with several distribution networks are currently in the works.

The reservation calendar makes this collaboration all the more strategic.

Despite the growth of last-minute sales, driven, he says, by geopolitical uncertainties, the manager recalls that it is generally necessary to book nine to eighteen months before departure to obtain the best terms and preserve a real choice of cabins.

The work with distributors must therefore begin well before boarding. It involves training, product briefings, and the ability to direct each client toward the cruise line that truly matches their expectations.

Cruisepro also aims to bring cruising out of its circle of regulars. “We must reach clients who take exotic trips”, says Emmanuel Joly. In other words, persuade travelers who already travel far but have not yet considered the ship as a way to discover.


New Developments as Proof by Example

The 2027 programming must give agents talking points. Royal Caribbean will position Mariner of the Seas departing from Barcelona on itineraries that travel through the Costa del Sol, Casablanca, Tangier and Portugal. A way to combine time onboard with a sequence of calls rarely gathered on a single Western Mediterranean cruise.

Celebrity Cruises will again offer a seven-night Iceland circuit aboard the Celebrity Silhouette. Cunard, for its part, will focus on a transatlantic crossing between Le Havre and New York on June 25, 2027, aboard the Queen Mary 2. The ship will have just emerged from a renovation carried out in Brest and will feature a French-speaking accompaniment.

NCL will launch in April 2027 the Norwegian Aura, touted as the largest ship ever built for the company. Oceania Cruises will inaugurate the Oceania Sonata in August of the same year, while developing culinary-themed cruises.

On the more exotic segments, Cruisepro can rely on Azamara’s long voyages and the expedition cruises of Hapag-Lloyd Cruises. In the river segment, AmaWaterways will reinforce its departures on the Magdalena River, in Colombia, with two 60-passenger vessels and calls in Mompox, a UNESCO World Heritage site.


Laurent Guéna Published by Laurent Guéna Journalist – TourMaG.com
See all articles by Laurent Guéna

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Business Travel in 2027: Market Growth Driven by Rising Prices


Le baromètre du voyage d'affaires, lors du salon IFTM. Photo: TB

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Turned into a fixed appointment, the annual IFTM-EPSA barometer of business travel is eagerly awaited by travel agencies specializing in corporate travel and by companies.

In a context of geopolitical and economic tensions, the IFTM hall was well attended on September 16 for the presentation of the 2026/27 edition.

Forecasts are especially uncertain as the 2026 uncertainties are likely to spill over into 2027, with a little extra: presidential and perhaps legislative elections in France!

It is therefore with great caution that the travel-industry consulting firm EPSA unveiled its projections.

The year 2026 is expected to close with a French business travel market of €31.6 billion, up 2.3%. For 2027, EPSA forecasts €32.7 billion, up 3.5% compared with 2026.


Questioning Airfare Prices

This trend is nevertheless deceptive as the forecast for France’s GDP growth in 2026 was revised downward to 0.4% by the Banque de France, which hopes for a slight rebound in 2027, to 0.9%.

The growth of the business travel market should indeed be largely driven by inflation, while “demand is expected to show near-stability, at -0.2%. Since 2020, clients and suppliers have learned to cope with successive crises” comments EPSA.

The greatest uncertainty lies in air travel prices, as kerosene prices surge again and the airlines are buying their fuel stocks for next year.

EPSA estimates that air travel prices could jump by 3.7% to 4.4% globally in 2027, and between 4.2% and 4.5% on the domestic market alone, with a confidence index on this forecast of only 6/10 as uncertainties persist.


Fuel Costs Up 53%!

Already in the first half of 2026 versus 2025, long-haul prices surged by 4.8%, versus 1.9% for short/medium haul and 2.6% in France, driven by kerosene prices, of course (the fuel cost per flight hour for an Airbus A320neo rose by 53% in September compared with January 2026) but also by higher airport taxes.

There remains a strong international demand but “with purchasing behaviors changing for companies, through later bookings,” notes David Marey of Air France.

It is also worth noting the low penetration of NDC: “about one in three bookings in France for business travel is made this way at Air France, compared with 60% for leisure. The education work must continue,” adds him.

Also read : Business travel: how travel managers revise their criteria to control costs


The Transformation of Europe’s Skies Accelerates

In the end, total air traffic for the year 2026 is expected to reach 5.1 billion passengers worldwide. Even so, in France it slips slightly by 0.8% in the first half.

In this context, IATA expects a 50% drop in airline profits in 2026, with a continued consolidation of the global skies.

In Europe alone, the Lufthansa group will control 90% of Italian ITA Airways by early 2027.

The American investment fund Apollo acquired easyJet last August and the entry of Air France-KLM or Lufthansa into the capital of TAP Portugal, as part of the privatization of the latter, is set to be approved in the coming months.


Train: Competition Slow to Emerge

For rail, price growth in 2027 should be more modest, between 1.4% and 1.7% in France, and between 1.8% and 2.2% in Europe.

This is due to higher toll costs for using infrastructure and sustained demand growth, with a need for companies to decarbonize their business travels.

And yet the supply side is slow to respond: the opening to competition, which could influence prices, is slow to materialize. On the Paris–Lyon route, the arrival of Trenitalia has translated into a 20% increase in traffic over six years, with an average price drop of -10%.

And the new generation TGVs promised by SNCF for the Paris–Marseille route for the 2024 Olympics, with higher capacities, are still awaited. The operator now hopes for service before the end of the year.

Ten sets have been delivered so far (out of 115 ordered) but technical problems delay their commercial start.

In the west (Brittany, Bordeaux…), competition influence on prices will have to wait until at least 2028, with the first trains of the newly licensed Velvet company, which has ordered 12 sets.


Céline Dion Boosts Parisian Hotel Traffic


Amex GBT/CWT: The Merging Giants Shake Up the Field

Finally, in this still uncertain context, consolidation is also underway among TMCs to better control costs and provide comprehensive service to their clients.

The acquisition of Carlson Wagonlit Travel (CWT) by Amex GBT in 2025 gave birth to a new giant, whose business volume is expected to rise from €31 billion last year to €44 billion (including CWT integration) this year.

There is also the alliance between AMEX GBT and SAP Concur in 2025, with the launch of the offering Complete, a new co-developed solution based on artificial intelligence, which combines bookings, services, payments and expense management.

Far behind, the top 5 TMCs include BCD Travel (€21 billion), Navan (€7.8 billion), Flight Centre Travel Group (€7.7 billion) which owns FCM Travel in France and CTM (€6 billion) according to EPSA’s ranking.


New Acquisitions in the Pipeline?

The giant born from the merger of Amex GBT and CWT can, however, be seen as both a threat and a new opportunity, with some companies wary of such a supplier or the merger of the two.

“After a year of observation, we are being approached for tenders by multinationals and CAC 40 companies. And whereas the norm used to be three-year contracts, there is a new trend toward longer contracts, from 3 to 5 years,” comments Christophe Hamonic, CEO of FCM Travel France (€240 million in business volume for 2025/26).

Together, the five leaders nevertheless account for only 5.3% of global corporate travel spend (estimated at €1.6 trillion in 2025), leaving room for fully digital entrants and for new alliances.


Advice, Security, Data Protection…

Thus the Marietton Développement group plans to acquire TMCs abroad by the end of the year, notably in the Netherlands, Italy and Portugal, to strengthen its European presence and better serve its clients.

Also read : Marietton: acquisitions of TMCs expected soon

Because companies demand new commitments and services from TMCs, which require substantial resources. “They want advisory services to better procure and adapt their buying behavior in a context of rising prices” adds Christophe Hamonic.

They also express new expectations, particularly regarding data protection and sovereignty and the geosecurity of employees. “For example, we can identify all employees of a company in a specific area in 15 to 45 minutes, and implement a security plan in 1 hour and 30 minutes,” the CEO completes.