The IFTM Top Resa will open its doors in a few days, signaling the return of the season for tourism professionals.
October will kick off the regional congresses of Travel Companies. It will begin in the Southwest, from October 2 to 5, to conclude with the event organized by Lionel Rabiet, from November 12 to 16, 2026… in Benin.
A choice that aligns with the desire of the Île-de-France branch of Travel Companies to showcase destinations still relatively unknown to the general public.
“Besides being a destination that very few people know about, it is an incredibly welcoming country.
Regarding the convention, everything will be easy. The hotel is five minutes from the airport, the places we will visit are not far, and it’s fabulous.
It’s Black Africa, a country with a rich culture“, we are told by Lionel Rabiet.
October will kick off the regional congresses of Travel Companies. It will begin in the Southwest, from October 2 to 5, to conclude with the event organized by Lionel Rabiet, from November 12 to 16, 2026… in Benin.
A choice that aligns with the desire of the Île-de-France branch of Travel Companies to showcase destinations still relatively unknown to the general public.
“Besides being a destination that very few people know about, it is an incredibly welcoming country.
Regarding the convention, everything will be easy. The hotel is five minutes from the airport, the places we will visit are not far, and it’s fabulous.
It’s Black Africa, a country with a rich culture“, we are told by Lionel Rabiet.
Voodoo, Lake City, and Nature… Benin’s Strengths
A president who was able to discover the country during a reconnaissance trip.
“One must know that Benin has truly been a hub of the slave trade, part of its painful history. We will visit places connected to this past.
We will also discover voodoo, this religion which is an animist cult based on reverence for the forces of nature and for ancestors. It should be noted that Benin is its cradle.
Then the country offers unique natural scenery.
Right beside, by the way, the capital city Cotonou, where we will stay, there exists the largest lakeside city in Africa (Ganvié, ed.) and surely in the world, which we will visit.
In addition, there are very few tourists. I calculated that in a single day, in France, we welcome more travelers than Benin does in a year“, the president reveals.
It must be said that the country has only recently begun opening up to tourism.
As we revealed to you in a previous article, under the leadership of President Patrice Talon, who has been in office since 2017, significant investments have been made to move the number of international visitors from 300,000–400,000 today to nearly 2 million per year by 2030.
“One must know that Benin has truly been a hub of the slave trade, part of its painful history. We will visit places connected to this past.
We will also discover voodoo, this religion which is an animist cult based on reverence for the forces of nature and for ancestors. It should be noted that Benin is its cradle.
Then the country offers unique natural scenery.
Right beside, by the way, the capital city Cotonou, where we will stay, there exists the largest lakeside city in Africa (Ganvié, ed.) and surely in the world, which we will visit.
In addition, there are very few tourists. I calculated that in a single day, in France, we welcome more travelers than Benin does in a year“, the president reveals.
It must be said that the country has only recently begun opening up to tourism.
As we revealed to you in a previous article, under the leadership of President Patrice Talon, who has been in office since 2017, significant investments have been made to move the number of international visitors from 300,000–400,000 today to nearly 2 million per year by 2030.
AI, Creativity and Corporate Restructuring… discover the program
“We have a very gradual three-year plan. At first, we move to conquer adventure tourism, then cultural tourism.
General tour operators won’t open up before 2026, with the opening of Club Med“, we were told by Claude Blanc, commercial manager of Benin’s Office of Tourism.
The opening of the future resort of the brand with the trident should rather take place next year.
The convention, for its part, will take place at the Sofitel Cotonou Marina Hotel & Spa. Located in Cotonou, the 174-room and 19-suite property opened in September 2024. It was, at the time, the country’s first five-star hotel.
“During the few days we will be together, we will address two themes with people who think outside the box. The first concerns AI. The aim is to ensure that this tool enhances us, increases our capabilities, and does not lobotomize us.
Nicolas François will speak on the second AI revolution, through the creation of tools and programming.
Another person will be present to question creativity and AI. We use AI at every turn for any creation, and I think that’s dangerous, because we lose our voice and our identity. There will be a surprise in this regard.
The second theme will be corporate restructuring. We are living through a challenging period, and it is during these times that difficult decisions must be made and restructurings undertaken. Jacques Masson, who has served as a transition manager in many companies, will discuss how to restructure, rethink a business, and cut costs…
Then, beyond these moments of reflection, from a destination discovery perspective, this trip is going to be truly exceptional“, we explain by Lionel Rabiet.
There are still a few places left to participate in the convention.
General tour operators won’t open up before 2026, with the opening of Club Med“, we were told by Claude Blanc, commercial manager of Benin’s Office of Tourism.
The opening of the future resort of the brand with the trident should rather take place next year.
The convention, for its part, will take place at the Sofitel Cotonou Marina Hotel & Spa. Located in Cotonou, the 174-room and 19-suite property opened in September 2024. It was, at the time, the country’s first five-star hotel.
“During the few days we will be together, we will address two themes with people who think outside the box. The first concerns AI. The aim is to ensure that this tool enhances us, increases our capabilities, and does not lobotomize us.
Nicolas François will speak on the second AI revolution, through the creation of tools and programming.
Another person will be present to question creativity and AI. We use AI at every turn for any creation, and I think that’s dangerous, because we lose our voice and our identity. There will be a surprise in this regard.
The second theme will be corporate restructuring. We are living through a challenging period, and it is during these times that difficult decisions must be made and restructurings undertaken. Jacques Masson, who has served as a transition manager in many companies, will discuss how to restructure, rethink a business, and cut costs…
Then, beyond these moments of reflection, from a destination discovery perspective, this trip is going to be truly exceptional“, we explain by Lionel Rabiet.
There are still a few places left to participate in the convention.
Published by Amelia Brille 
