Voyageurs

In this period of watchful waiting on the part of travel agencies, some are taking the opportunity to refresh their teams’ knowledge through training, educational tours and other initiatives, while others are using the calmer moment to launch projects.

Voyageurs du Monde decided not to let current events set the pace.

The fifth-largest French tour operator, according to our ranking based on 2024 figures, chose this quieter period to launch its global English-language site.

“It is a platform aimed at the world English-speaking clientele. Previously, we had a site dedicated to English-speaking customers, but we did not have a global interface accessible from anywhere in the world and adapted to our different products.

We are increasingly serving English-speaking clients who do not live in the countries where we are already established, as is the case in the United Kingdom, Canada and the United States.

We therefore wanted to provide a response to these clients“, explains Jean-François Rial, CEO of Voyageurs du Monde.

Moreover, the group’s English subsidiary will become Original Travel by Voyageurs du Monde, in order to reinforce the brand image beyond the Channel.

And while examples of French travel companies expanding internationally are rather rare, even if FRAM recently set up in the Benelux, for Jean-François Rial’s company the internationalisation of the group has been a reality for a long time.

Since 2008, VDM opened a branch in Brussels, then three years later in Geneva. In 2016, the brand established itself overseas, in Canada, before settling in the United States in 2022, with the acquisition of Extraordinary Journeys.

The challenge is therefore to introduce the brand into markets where it is not yet physically present.

This could include Scandinavia, Hong Kong, Singapore, South Africa, or any other territory with a customer base for this type of product.

“We will launch, within two weeks, a stronger international push for the Voyageurs du Monde brand. We have English-speaking advisors all over the world, so it will be easy to respond to demand.

This is an important step for Voyageurs du Monde. We are shifting to a higher dimension. We are truly launching the brand internationally, particularly in the area of public relations, where until now we relied mainly on word-of-mouth outside our borders. This time, we have a dedicated campaign“, explains the company’s CEO.

By the way, the group’s English subsidiary will become Original Travel by Voyageurs du Monde, to solidify the brand image across the Channel.

And while examples of French travel companies going international are fairly rare, even if FRAM recently established itself in the Benelux, for Jean-François Rial’s company, the internationalisation of the group has been a reality for a long time.

Since 2008, VDM opened an office in Brussels, then three years later in Geneva. In 2016, the brand expanded beyond the Atlantic, to Canada, before establishing itself in the United States in 2022, with the acquisition of Extraordinary Journeys.

This new chapter thus marks the culmination of this development.

“We generate nearly €100 million in international turnover, i.e., around 30% of our activity, which is significant. We do not have a perfectly fixed objective, although we would like international to account for about 50% of our revenues in the medium term“, states the leader, setting a target without a precise deadline.

To achieve this, beyond launching the site and its large-scale press relations campaign, products will be somewhat adapted according to the client’s origin.

This is not all. Even if this operation does not come with opening new offices in an English-speaking country, a new Voyageurs du Monde agency will soon open in Europe.

“In September 2026, we will open an agency in Munich, to complement the one in Zurich. Agencies are more like offices for the sellers. They no longer really help to mesh the territory or attract customers, but rather serve as places to meet clients, travelers, and host events,” explains Jean-François Rial.

And international expansion will also involve new cruise ships.

Following the Steam Ship Sudan and the two dahabiyahs already sailing the Nile, Voyageurs du Monde will expand its fleet in the coming years.

“In 2028, we will inaugurate two new magnificent ships, in the spirit of the Steam Ship Sudan.

These are steam-powered vessels nearly a century old. Like the other boats in the fleet, they will be stationed in Egypt. This order aims to meet the demand of international clients, because the Steam Ship Sudan is fully booked“, rejoices the Voyageurs du Monde CEO.

For remembrance, its first steamship was directly drawn from the Thomas Cook & Son fleet, the late company behind the origins of travel agencies and the modern tourism industry.

This same ship is even said to have inspired Agatha Christie for her famous novel Death on the Nile, following a cruise she took with her husband in 1933.

Built in 1920 by the Bulaq shipyard in Egypt, the vessel was acquired by Voyageurs du Monde, which gave it a facelift in 2007.

It features five suites and 18 cabins. These developments take place amid a challenging context for the French tourism industry.

“It is quite average, not catastrophic. We are following a trend less dire than that of our peers. What I feel is that B2B is accelerating the slowdown in sales: when we are at -10%, they are at -30%.

May is starting off very badly. I think the activity recovery will not occur before the summer. In my view, the summer will be compromised; it will be very average.

I am not really worried about what comes next, because either a peace agreement will be reached in the coming month and things will pick up, though not fully compensating for the lost earnings, or there will be no such agreement and clients will adapt. They will cope with the conflict and its consequences.

The year 2026 will probably be less good than the previous ones, but we are financially solid. We have no debt and we possess equity. concludes a calmly prepared leader.

It’s worth noting that the United States, which had been at the top of the list of best-selling destinations for the operator in the wake of the health crisis, has been weathering the impact more smoothly in recent weeks.

If the country is not a safe haven, the bleed seems contained: the decline is no longer 70%, as it could have been in the past, but now hovers around 20%.

This shows that customers are not resentful and adapt very quickly to crises, whether political, geopolitical, or economic.