Routes

Loire Valley Cycling: Two Secret Routes Through Castles and Troglodyte Villages

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Around Saumur: a subterranean escape in the land of “troglos”

TAP Air Portugal Strategy: Consolidate Routes and Launch New Ones

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Dans les locaux de Hopscotch Tourism à Paris , Paloma Utrera (2e en partant de la droite) entourée, de gauche à droite, d'Eloïse Roux, directrice développement Hopscotch Tourism, Laura Wieczorek, directrice RP Hopscotch Tourism, Isabel Calvo, directrice RP Hopscotch Tourism, Isabelle Pereira, Responsable marketing France, Espagne, Royaume-Uni, Irlande, Benelux et pays nordiques TAP Air Portugal - Photo : C. Hardin

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Based in Madrid, Paloma Utrera was in Paris last week.

The opportunity to meet her and her teams for a discussion about major sector developments, such as evolving travel habits, connectivity challenges, and the market’s new dynamics.

In this context, and within TAP Air Portugal, we also discussed the French market and the connections from the mainland, the growing role of Portugal as a hub between Europe, South America and Africa, the evolution of the onboard product and the opportunities offered by a stopover in Portugal.


TAP Air Portugal: 132 weekly flights between France and Portugal

TourMaG – You took over from Rino Morosini at the beginning of this year 2026, a strategic year for TAP. How is this transition unfolding?

Paloma Utrera : Rino did an excellent job and I arrived in Paris to “inherit” the position, so to speak. There was first the inauguration of our business lounge in Paris, which, as a reminder, is TAP’s only lounge outside of Lisbon.

This is important for us. There was also the launch of our onboard service Economy Prime last month in June on our long-haul flights. It is a product we wanted to offer to our clients, our corporate passengers, and all those who do not travel in business class but still desire a differentiated onboard experience.

We are, in this regard, very satisfied with the market response to this product, whose success should continue to grow from September when corporate traffic becomes more dynamic.

I also commend our communications team here in France for doing an excellent job highlighting our brand, the quality of our product, and the performances of our onboard crews.

TourMaG – Regarding your offering between France and Portugal, could you remind us what you provide?

Paloma Utrera : This summer, our airline operates 132 weekly flights between France and Portugal, with direct services between Lyon, Marseille, Nice, Toulouse and Lisbon. Thus we cover the southern part of France, and for Paris we offer 56 weekly frequencies, what we call a shuttle to Lisbon and Porto.

TourMaG – How do you approach the summer season at TAP?

Paloma Utrera : This summer, the entire industry recognizes the challenge posed by the international situation and rising costs. Nevertheless, our structure is solid and our performance in France and overall is quite solid.

Our results for the first four months of the year are up by 11% compared with the previous year in terms of revenue, and passenger numbers have risen by 6.4%.

We have also improved load factors by 5% versus last year, reaching 84%. These are good results for this pre-summer period, which is not the peak season.

TourMaG – Portugal, like other southern destinations, is also a safe-haven destination?

Paloma Utrera : Yes, that is an important point to emphasize, and we also see growth in other markets such as the United States and Brazil, for which we recently opened a new destination in July: Curitiba, the capital of Paraná state.

We are also continuing to open new routes: Terceira in the Azores, and Praia, the capital of Cape Verde, from Lisbon.

From Lisbon, in addition to Curitiba, we have also opened Athens, an important route for us that has been very well received by the market in Greece.

Our strategy is to consolidate these routes and open others. In October, we will also launch São Luís, Maranhão, in Brazil, an exciting destination featuring, among other things, the Lençóis Maranhenses natural site, which is very interesting.


Lisbon, Europe’s premier hub to Brazil

TourMaG – Brazil is truly a flagship destination for you.

Paloma Utrera : Yes, indeed. We now have 15 direct destinations to Brazil from Lisbon, which is well connected to all of our European routes.

We are also developing Porto as a hub for long-haul destinations. We now aim to consolidate and grow in these markets. In the United States, a new development: after opening Los Angeles, we will open Orlando in the autumn.

TourMaG – Lisbon, a truly strategic hub?

Paloma Utrera : Absolutely. Look at our geographic position. I can say we are practically at the “center of the world.” The best place to connect Europe, North America, South America, but also Africa where we have many destinations.

TourMaG – What are the advantages of a stopover in Lisbon?

Paloma Utrera : What truly makes the difference is that we offer a 10-day stopover window in Lisbon or Porto between your connecting flights, to discover another destination in Portugal, a hop to the Azores for example, with a favorable fare and discounts up to 50% on restaurants, hotels, tours, outdoor activities, and cultural sites.

This is our Portugal Stopover program, which has been named the world’s best stopover program by Global Traveler for the eighth consecutive year.

TourMaG – The fleet evolution is also a TAP Air Portugal project?

Paloma Utrera : We currently operate a fleet of 99 aircraft, one of the most modern fleets thanks to our Airbus Neo, and we are working to replace our oldest aircraft and also to increase the number of planes (A320neo, A321neo, A330neo).

A modern fleet is part of our environmental strategy that we are developing. Modern aircraft, but also recyclable products onboard. Everyone is involved, and we have managed to reduce our CO₂ emissions by 12% since last year.


A slice of the cake?

TourMaG – Aviation industry observers are waiting for decisions on TAP’s capital entry by a major player. Two large groups are in the running: Air France-KLM and Lufthansa. Do you have a preference?

Paloma Utrera : (smiling) No, not a preference. The aviation world is highly competitive, and we need to partner with a major group. It will be a government decision that selects the best option.

TourMaG – We won’t know your preference. And if I ask what your favorite cake is: Black Forest cake, a German cake, or the chocolate éclair, a French pastry?

Paloma Utrera : (laughs) I like both a lot!


Christophe Hardin Published by Christophe Hardin Journaliste AirMaG – TourMaG.com
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Integration with Lufthansa, NDC, New Routes, and Rome Hub: ITA Airways’ Ambitions

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Intégration à Lufthansa, NDC, nouvelles lignes et hub de Rome : les ambitions d'ITA Airways !

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TourMaG – Tensions in the Middle East have significantly disrupted air travel. What impact has that had on ITA Airways?

Samy Addou: The impact is the same as for all market participants. The situation is not easy.

At ITA Airways, we have been very dynamic. We have leveraged fuel hedges that cover about 80% through year-end to try to control costs and, above all, to limit the impact of rising prices.

And we have primarily adjusted capacity and destinations to be as responsive as possible.

As part of this recovery plan, we reopened Tel Aviv on July 1. We will reopen Riyadh in September.

TourMaG – Should we expect capacity adjustments on certain routes?

Samy Addou: No, that is not the case. The program remains stable via Rome-Fiumicino, whether heading to Italy or on the long-haul network.


TourMaG – Travel agencies are noticing later bookings and customers who are more budget-conscious. Do you see the same trend?

Samy Addou: Yes, absolutely, that is a trend that is being confirmed. But what we note is that even if bookings are increasingly late, it does not affect overall demand.

What is very important for us is revenue, so we focus on load factors and yield to ensure we achieve our objectives.

We also adjust capacity, as I mentioned, but also our commercial strategy on a continuous basis, and that is very important for us.



TourMaG – What exactly does this commercial strategy entail?

Samy Addou: We stay close to market players, to distributors, and we work to support them in managing operational variabilities and finding solutions for their clients because ultimately, our distributors need support and we are at their service.


“Marseille is a great success”: ITA Airways continues its development in France

TourMaG – You recently launched the Marseille-Rome route and strengthened Nice. How is this development going?

Samy Addou: Marseille is a great success. The launch is going wonderfully, first of all thanks to our distribution partners. I want to particularly thank them. But also thanks to the Marseille airport, with whom we are working extremely well, and that is very important for us.

The value proposition from Marseille to Rome-Fiumicino is not only point-to-point, but it also enables connectivity from the region to Italy, and beyond, on ITA Airways’ long-haul network.

This is part of a seasonal development plan, as we also opened, at the same time as Marseille, Malaga, Valencia, Alicante, Mykonos and Trapani.

We have also added frequencies on important seasonal destinations in Southern Italy with Brindisi, Lampedusa, Pantelleria, Palma de Mallorca and, above all, Nice.

TourMaG – Specifically, why does Nice occupy a special place in your network?

Samy Addou: Nice is a destination and/or starting point in France that is historic for ITA Airways. The city has accompanied us since the start of operations.

We added a fourth flight starting July 1, through September. And this flight is a night stop. The aircraft stays in Nice and departs very early the next morning. It connects to the entire ITA Airways network.

This enables Nice residents and the PACA region, but also Monaco, to travel to all destinations in our network.

This increase in frequencies and capacity reflects the commitment of customers, but also of distributors to the route; it also reflects growing demand.

Our strategy is really to be efficient and to put in place solutions that are profitable for the future.

TourMaG – Can the Rome-Fiumicino hub become a genuine alternative to other major hubs in Europe or the Middle East?

Samy Addou: For me, it is a more than credible alternative. Rome-Fiumicino is a five-star airport as rated by Skytrax. That is the maximum rating.

The airport was totally renovated after Covid; it is brand new. Connections are a short walk from the Schengen area to non-Schengen. You have access to all the best Italian cuisine, and to many shops. It is really a pleasure to connect via Rome-Fiumicino.

I have no doubt that the other airports are also excellent. But if you travel via Rome, you will not be disappointed.


“Rome-Fiumicino is a more than credible alternative to the major hubs”

TourMaG – Which long-haul routes are currently the most promising via Rome-Fiumicino?

Samy Addou: Thank you for asking, because ITA Airways is of course the national Italian airline, but not only that.

We have a long-haul network that has grown in recent years, and we cover all five continents.

The strongest destinations from Rome-Fiumicino are in North America, because ITA serves Toronto in Canada and eight destinations in the United States.

We also have a wonderful network in South America: Rio daily, Sao Paulo twice daily, Buenos Aires nine to ten times a week. That is very important to us.

We have also developed our network in West Africa, the Middle East, Oceania with the Maldives, Mauritius, and Asia, of course, with Tokyo Haneda, Bangkok, and India.

TourMaG – Could France benefit from new regional route openings?

Samy Addou: I would like to give you an answer, but it is a bit premature.

What I can tell you is that at ITA Airways we are very attentive to network efficiency. We study all opportunities and we will seize, if the opportunity arises, the opening of new regional routes.

TourMaG – Lufthansa Group intends to raise its stake to 90%. concretely, what does that change for ITA Airways?

Samy Addou: Before talking about the future, I will first talk about the present, because concretely, it brings a lot of value for customers and passengers.

Since April 1, we have joined Star Alliance, the world’s largest airline alliance.

We have also joined the Miles & More loyalty program of the Lufthansa Group.

The integration allows for code-sharing. For ITA, that already means 150 additional destinations, 130 lounges that our passengers can access directly thanks to this development in recent weeks.

In Germany, at Frankfurt and Munich airports, we are now a single entity under the Lufthansa Group. We have already joined Lufthansa for operations.

Then, there is a whole range of advantages: cargo is unified, fares are aligned, and we benefit from cost reductions in distribution costs (GDS).

And the big novelty is the NDC, which we migrated to on May 12.

TourMaG – Is the move to NDC linked to the closer integration with Lufthansa?

Samy Addou: We are doing things in order. Migrating to NDC solutions was part of our action plan.

The advantage is that we benefited from the great expertise and experience of the Lufthansa Group, which is a pioneer on the subject.

This greatly facilitated our internal tasks, but above all, it allowed a very smooth implementation for all our partners since May 12.

TourMaG – Where will tourism professionals be able to meet you in the coming months?

Samy Addou: I invite them to meet at the start of the season, at IFTM, on the Business Club, where we will have a shared stand with the Lufthansa Group.

We will be eager to present our innovations to them, represent the group at our stand, and then welcome them for a spritz.


Céline Eymery Published by Céline Eymery Editor-in-Chief – TourMaG.com
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Motion Sickness: This Hidden iPhone Feature Could Change Your Routes

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Dizziness, nausea and vomiting, sweating, excessive salivation, headaches — motion sickness can turn a vacation road trip into a real nightmare. More common in children, though it also affects some adults quite severely, motion sickness can strike in a car, on a boat (the famous seasickness), but also on a plane and, though rarer, on a train or even in the subway.

Motion sickness is thought to stem from an inadequate brain response to two conflicting cues: the eyes perceive a stationary environment, while the vestibular system, located in the inner ear, detects the vehicle’s movements. A range of techniques, more or less effective, can help lessen the symptoms. But a solution might lie deep within your iPhone.

Make the body believe it is in motion

Homeopathy, acupressure bracelets, antihistamine medications, choosing the right seat, or simply keeping your gaze fixed on the horizon — all of these tips can help limit motion sickness, provided you avoid reading or watching a moving screen. And yet, as the BBC details, the lead may lie in the little-known functionality of your smartphone that could help you better cope with travel.

Called “Vehicle Motion Indicators”, it displays animated dots along the edges of the screen that move in sync with the vehicle’s movements in which you are traveling. All of this, without interfering with using the phone.

“If you can send signals to your body about how you move through space, this can alleviate motion sickness,” explains to the BBC Kristen Steenerson, a professor at Stanford University in the United States. The vestibular system expert herself uses this feature, praising its effectiveness. “Everyone thinks there’s a problem with my screen, but these dots are really brilliant,” she says enthusiastically.

How to enable this feature on your smartphone?

To test this option, go to the Settings on your iPhone, then choose Accessibility > Movement > Vehicle Motion Indicators. You can opt to keep it enabled permanently or in Automatic mode. In this case, small animated dots appear along the edges of the screen when the phone detects that you are in motion, and disappear when the movement stops. If this feature is currently only available on iPhone, it is possible to download an app that offers a similar result on Android phones.

The BBC journalist collected numerous very positive testimonials, although all pointed to the same paradox: this feature is only useful when you have motion sickness because you’re looking at your phone! Nevertheless, nothing prevents you from turning it on just to try to relieve your motion sickness, even if you hadn’t planned to use your phone during the trip. Or you can also put your phone down… and look at the horizon!

Medieval Travel: Three Pilgrimage Routes Across France

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1/ The Ancient Route to the Holy Land

Connecting Le Puy-en-Velay to Saint-Gilles-du-Gard, once a major gateway for boarding pilgrims destined for Rome and the Holy Land, the Régordane Way still allows travelers today to move from the volcanic foothills of the Massif Central to the Provençal garrigue. Along the way, villages with rich Roman architectural heritage, such as Pradelles, La Garde-Guérin, or Génolhac.

Corsair to Launch Two New Routes From Mainland France to Guadeloupe

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Corsair va desservir la Guadeloupe depuis Marseille - Crédit photo : RP

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By the end of September 2026, Corsair will no longer face any Europe-imposed constraints as part of its restructuring plan.

Until that date, the fleet must still be strictly limited to nine aircraft and slots must be handed back.

To read : Slots, aircraft… Brussels’ constraints do not dampen Corsair’s appetite!

The company led by Pascal de Izaguirre has, however, decided not to wait for this deadline to resume its development. It announces the opening of two new routes to Guadeloupe from mainland France.

Thus, Corsair will launch Marseille – Pointe-à-Pitre starting 15 December 2026, followed by Toulouse – Pointe-à-Pitre from 16 December 2026.

The routes will operate during the winter, on board Airbus A330neo.


The schedules of Corsair’s new flights

Corsair is already present at these airports in southern France, but this announcement allows it to continue pursuing its ambition: to offer more direct long-haul connections from major regional hubs.

The Toulouse – Pointe-à-Pitre route will depart every Wednesday at 12:00, arriving in Guadeloupe at 15:50. The return flight will also take place on Wednesdays, with a Pointe-à-Pitre departure at 17:50 and an arrival in Toulouse at 06:50 the following day.

The Marseille service will be operated every Tuesday until December 29, then every Thursday thereafter. The departure is scheduled at 11:30, with an arrival on the other side of the Atlantic at 16:00.

Returns are planned on Tuesdays until December 29, then on Thursdays, with an 18:00 takeoff from Pointe-à-Pitre and a 07:30 arrival in Provence the next day.


“For several years, Corsair has made a structural choice to directly connect the French regions with the overseas territories, with the aim of offering itineraries that are simpler, smoother, and better suited to customer expectations.

Today, no other airline offers as structured a network between the mainland and the overseas territories.

These new links between Marseille, Toulouse and Pointe-à-Pitre illustrate our will to strengthen connections between the territories and to facilitate the travel of all those who live, work or travel between the Hexagon and the Overseas territories,” explained Pascal de Izaguirre, Chief Executive Officer of Corsair

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