World News - Page 2 of 71

Mondial Tourisme Expands Mondi Club in the Canary Islands and Targets Egypt for Winter 2026–2027

September 19, 2026 by Amara Nambinga

Mondial Tourisme renforce ses Mondi Club aux Canaries - Depositphotos.com, DI-blr

MSC Croisières

The new Winter 2026-2027 brochure from Mondial Tourisme is now being distributed to travel agencies and is available online.

For this new season, the tour operator continues to develop its in-house clubs while expanding its long-haul offerings and the options for departures from the provinces.

But before addressing the winter schedule, Mondial Tourisme also draws a few lessons from the summer of 2026.

While Tunisia and the Canary Islands stood out as some of the best-performing destinations, the summer period was mainly characterized by a shift in customer behavior.

According to Laure Chevrinais, head of communications at Mondial Tourisme, the traditional July-August peak is losing ground to the shoulder seasons. “We are increasingly realizing that July-August is no longer the peak season as we used to know it“, she explains.

The summer of 2026 was also marked by geopolitical tensions and concerns about air travel.

Announcements about possible fuel supply difficulties or flight disruptions may have contributed to delaying decision-making. Some customers reportedly favored waiting to book later, pushing more bookings to the last minute.

Three New Mondi Clubs in the Canaries

For the winter, one of the main development axes focuses on the Canaries. Mondial Tourisme unveils three new Mondi Clubs, bringing the brand’s total number of properties on the archipelago to seven.

In Lanzarote, the operator offers notably the Mondi Club Galeon Playa 3*, labeled Relax and available on a half-board basis, as well as the Mondi Club Beatriz Playa & Spa 4*, in all-inclusive format. In Tenerife, the Mondi Club Grand Muthu Golf Plaza 4* completes this new lineup.

This expansion follows a logic of growth in a destination capable of operating beyond the mere summer season.

“The Canary Islands are indeed a destination that works year-round, both in summer and in winter. That’s why we want to strengthen a little more in this destination“, emphasizes Laure Chevrinais.

With these new addresses, Mondial Tourisme aims to consolidate a destination already well established in its portfolio and to offer more choices to agencies and clients.

Tunisia Remains the Operator’s Leading Destination

Tunisia remains the Mondial Tourisme’s main market. The tour operator claims more than 100,000 passengers per year to the destination, which is one of its historical focal points.

For the winter 2026-2027, the operator notably expands its lineup with the Welcome Meridiana 4* in Djerba. Already present in Mondial Tourisme’s programming, the property is now part of the Mondi Club range after several renovations.

The destination also benefits from a positioning particularly suited to the winter season, with a long-stay offer allowing travelers to chase sunshine a few hours from France.

Egypt Aims to Confirm Its Restart

Another market under close watch for the upcoming season is Egypt. Mondial Tourisme broadens its program with a new seven-night package titled “Treasures of the Nile to the Pyramids of Cairo“.

The product combines Cairo sightseeing and a Nile cruise, in a shorter format than the nine-night package “From the Pyramids to the Red Sea” that is offered elsewhere. The stay is marketed from €1,289 per week.

For Mondial Tourisme, Egypt had been one of the destinations showing signs of recovery before the recent slowdown linked to geopolitical context.

“Before the conflict, it was really a destination that was rebounding very well. There was a small pause, but we hope it will start up again“, says Laure Chevrinais.

The choice of a new seven-night format should particularly help meet clients looking to combine several experiences without devoting too long to the trip.

Lapland: Regional Departures Reconfirmed

The Lapland is also among Mondial Tourisme’s bets for the winter.

Building on the success of the previous season, the operator is renewing departures to Finnish and Swedish Lapland from several French cities. Flights are scheduled from Deauville, Nantes, Lille, Strasbourg, Lyon, Toulouse, Bordeaux and Marseille, in addition to Paris.

The Mondi Club Sodankylä in Finnish Lapland remains at the heart of the program, with stays that incorporate the main Arctic experiences: dogsledding, snowmobiling, meeting reindeer, ice fishing, and the aurora borealis.

This regional departure strategy already appears to be paying off. “We can already see that it’s working very well“, confirms Laure Chevrinais.

Jean-François Guieu (Solotour): After an Exceptional 2025, 2026 on Track

September 19, 2026 by Amara Nambinga

Malgré la conjoncture économique, Jean-François Guieu, directeur général de Solotour vise un chiffre d’affaires entre 16 et 17 M€ en 2026. @solotour

MSC Croisières

TourMaG.com – What assessment do you make of the year 2026?

Jean-François Guieu : 2025 had been an exceptional year for us, both in turnover and in the number of groups. 2026 looks to be of the same caliber, perhaps slightly better. We will take more than 700 groups on tour this year.

In 2025, we achieved more than €16 million in turnover, for about 700 groups. In 2026, we should be slightly above that, between €16m and €17m, even though the last quarter has not yet been completed. The Christmas markets and other year-end events represent, in particular, a significant activity.

More than 50% of our activity, in terms of groups, remains in France. We then mainly operate in Italy, Spain, Switzerland and Austria. For several years now, we have also been developing air travel, for medium- and long-haul.

TourMaG.com – You are showing strong momentum despite a challenging economic environment. The FNTV mentions a drop in orders among coach operators. How do you interpret that?

Jean-François Guieu : We are fortunate to be very generalist and to have been relatively little affected by the international crisis. The majority of our trips take place in Europe and air travel still represents only a small portion of our activity.

Our coach operator partners have also made efforts in response to rising fuel prices to maintain their rates and preserve departures. We may also have benefited from the fact that some individual clients chose group coach travel to reduce their transport costs.

Coach travel remains a safe mode of travel, with good value for money. This may partly explain why we are positive about 2026.

TourMaG.com – How does the last quarter look?

Jean-François Guieu : For the end of the year, it is still too early to say.

We are in a market where bookings tend to come in quite late. December, for example, is an important month for New Year’s Eve celebrations and Christmas markets, but customers are only just starting to look ahead at these products.

We therefore depend heavily on last-minute bookings and occupancy rates. This is also what makes long-term forecasting difficult. For us, 2027 is not yet written.

Brochure 2027 : “More than 450 programs: ideas in France and across Europe”

TourMaG.com – You have just released your 2027 brochure. What are the new features?

Jean-François Guieu : Our new brochure came out in July, a bit earlier than in previous years, to allow coach operators to study it during the summer.

It includes more than 450 programs: ideas in France and across Europe, notably city breaks, getaways, hikes, cruises, and even more distant escapes.

This year, we have also added a seaside section. The objective is, in particular, to help coach operators attract new customers, especially retirees, by diversifying their production.

TourMaG.com – Your model is precisely based on tailor-made solutions…

Jean-François Guieu : It is our main strength. We only do tailor-made work and operate strictly on demand.

The brochure is primarily a showroom and a source of inspiration. Then, everything is adaptable: the duration of the stay, the hotel category, the visits, the meals, the beverages, the presence of a guide…

This allows coach operators and group travel agencies to start from an idea and then build the product that precisely matches their clientele.

Tools and a modernized website

TourMaG.com – How many coach operators work with Solotour today?

Jean-François Guieu : We work on average each year with around 180 different coach operators or clients. But the profiles are very varied. Some entrust us with about thirty trips a year, while others only do one.

We are seeing more and more coach operators turning to our services. They sometimes have fewer internal resources to manage production and therefore want to rely on specialized professionals.

We save them time and simplify their work.

TourMaG.com – You have modernized your professional space, what does it offer?

Jean-François Guieu : We have done a lot of work to modernize our tools and our website. The professionals who work with us have a professional access that allows them to consult our production.

The novelty implemented this year concerns the detailed proposals that we send them. They can now consult them online, customize them, add their logo or text, and modify the rates.

The aim is for them to quickly convert our proposal into a commercial document and send it to their own client. It is a real time saver for them.

Benjamin Moussi and Sébastien Frances, new shareholders of Solotour

TourMaG.com – Solotour also changed its ownership in 2025. Why this evolution?

Jean-François Guieu : The new ownership structure has been in place since January 2025. Alain Paoli, the founder of Solotour with whom I was a partner, had exercised his retirement rights and wanted to sell his shares. On my side, I did not wish to buy them.

We therefore chose to open the ownership to two friends, Benjamin Moussi and Sébastien Frances, who are not from the tourism sector but wished to accompany us in the future development of the company.

We did not want to sell to just anyone. It was essential to preserve what has made Solotour strong for over 35 years: our culture, our expertise in European destinations, the availability of our teams and our attention to detail.

TourMaG.com – Should this change accelerate the modernization of the company?

Jean-François Guieu : Yes. The operational management remains unchanged and I continue to run the company with my team. But this new ownership allows us, in particular, to invest in human resources, tools, infrastructure and digital.

We are now a team of 22 people. The goal is to continue anticipating the needs of our clients, notably with electronic invoicing and the evolution of digital tools.

“to remain a human-sized travel operator”

TourMaG.com – What place could AI take in your activity?

Jean-François Guieu : We are considering gradually integrating AI into some of our tools. The objective is absolutely not to replace our teams, but to save them time on repetitive tasks.

This could allow staff to focus more on their core business, be more available to clients, and spend more time out in the field, particularly with our service providers.

Our model remains artisanal and based on tailor-made service. We will be able to integrate certain AI uses, but we do not wish to automate the entirety of our activity.

TourMaG.com – What are your ambitions for the coming years?

Jean-François Guieu : We want to stay a human-sized travel operator, close to our clients, and continue offering the quality of service that has earned our reputation.

We have clients who have remained loyal to us for a very long time. Our best ambassadors are, in fact, the professionals we have worked with for 37 years who talk about us to others.

The objective is therefore to safeguard the company and gradually develop our activity, without losing what defines our identity.

Categories World News Tags Exceptional, Guieu, JeanFrançois, Solotour, Track

Solea Unveils New Arrivals for the 2026-2027 Season

September 19, 2026 by Amara Nambinga

For its 2026-2027 season, Solea is evolving the presentation of its offer with the launch of three thematic brochures.

The objective stated by the tour operator is to clarify its positioning as a specialist while supporting the expansion of its catalog.

The offering is now organized around three major universes: the Indian Ocean and the Middle East, the Caribbean, which for the first time benefit from a dedicated brochure, and Africa, proposed under the Equato by Solea brand.

This new organization should allow for greater emphasis on the various travel possibilities offered by the tour operator, from beach stays to tours, including personalized experiences.

Océan Indien : de nouvelles adresses et formats de séjour

In the Indian Ocean, Mauritius remains a priority market for Solea, with notably strengthened presence of Sunlife.

The tour operator also intends to rely on its partnerships with major hotel chains as well as its exclusive resale rights with Club Med.

Among the properties involved are notably Bali, the Seychelles, Kani and Finolhu in the Maldives.

The 2026/2027 catalog also enriches itself with new hotels and new stay formats in Mauritius, Réunion, the Seychelles, Sri Lanka, the Maldives and Bali.

In the Middle East, Solea maintains in its offering Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Jordan and Oman, with a selection oriented toward both urban discoveries and desert experiences. Several new upscale establishments complete the program.

Les Caraïbes disposent désormais de leur propre brochure

Another season novelty: Solea now dedicates a full brochure to the Caribbean. The tour operator also expands its catalog with two new destinations: Barbados and Dominica.

Known in particular for its Platinum Coast, Barbados enters the programming with a focus on luxury and beach stays.

Dominica, nicknamed the “nature island of the Caribbean”, completes the offer with a positioning more oriented toward intimate and ecotourism.

These two additions join the destinations already offered by Solea in the region, notably the French Caribbean (Antilles), the Dominican Republic and Mexico. The Mexican catalog also benefits from several new features, with new hotels as well as a new themed circuit.

Equato by Solea étoffe son offre en Afrique

Africa holds a special place in the tour operator’s strategy through Equato by Solea. The brand specializes in small-group or private tours, with itineraries that can be adjusted to meet travelers’ expectations and budgets.

For 2026/2027, Equato expands its program across several African markets, including Madagascar, Tanzania, Zanzibar, Kenya, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Mozambique and Namibia.

New itineraries and properties thus complement the existing offering.

Deux marques pour développer le sur-mesure

Beyond its three destination universes, Solea also aims to differentiate itself through a more personalized offering with two complementary brands.
Signature d’Exception by Solea targets the high-end bespoke travel segment. The service includes pre-departure assistance with, notably, premium-seat selection, visa assistance, transfers in a prestige vehicle, Fast Track, and access to airport lounges.

On the other hand, Solea Villas offers a selection of villas and private residences with a pool. The collection is especially present in Mauritius, Réunion, the Seychelles, Bali, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Saint Martin, Saint Barthélemy, and the Dominican Republic.

To support the launch of this new season, Solea teams will embark on a national roadshow to meet travel agents starting at the season’s beginning.

Several stops are planned between September 8 and October 8, 2026: Paris, Avignon, Rennes, Brest, Lille, Toulouse, Lyon, Nice, Béziers, Biarritz, Montpellier, Saint-Étienne, Mulhouse, Nancy, Normandy and Reims.

Categories World News Tags Arrivals, Season, Solea, Unveils

Egypt: Bookings Rebound, but Travel Professionals Remain Cautious

September 19, 2026 by Amara Nambinga

Is Egypt potentially emerging from the dip caused by the Middle East conflict?

After several months in the red, bookings are rising again according to the latest figures from the EDV-Orchestra barometer.

In August 2026, the number of bookings for Egypt increases by 21.1% compared to August 2025. An acceleration after a +4.8% in July, while the destination still posted significant declines in spring: -5.5% in June, -34.2% in May, -42.6% in April and -66.8% in March.

The year had started well. Order intake showed gains of +50.3% and +17.7% respectively in January and February 2026, still according to the barometer.

The destination’s visitor numbers were also in positive territory.

After reaching the record threshold of 19 million in 2025, international arrivals rose a further 4% from January to the end of May 2026 (vs the same period in 2025), according to the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities.

The number of French tourists posted an even stronger rise. Already up 31% for the entire 2025, they also recorded an increase of 22% between January and the end of May 2026 (vs the same period in 2025).

An end-of-year with last-minute sales?

Data that does not reflect the spring booking standstill, as trips were already booked.

« Sales are anticipated a bit more than for other destinations. They were therefore already secured and there were no cancellations. April thus proceeded normally, departures were full. Groups for March, April, May and June, which are key periods for this activity, were arranged without any issue », explains Bruno Abenin, Commercial Director of Travel Evasion.

« Egypt has never been directly involved in the conflict » recalls Gonzague de Gélis, president of the Kuoni France Group. « We did not cancel any departures; it was bookings that were halted. It stopped completely in March, April, May and June; then bookings slowly picked up in June, we were at -50% versus June 2025. After that, things picked up in July, with an acceleration in August », he sums up.

Gonzague de Gélis mentions a 60% rise in August bookings compared to last year, a year that was already considered good.

For these bookings made in August, the tour operator notes strong momentum for upcoming departures: +40% for 2027 departures and +100% for 2026 last-minute departures. « It is the destination that is showing the strongest growth in August » he adds.

A rebound, but professionals remain cautious

At Mondial Tourisme, Selatt Erdogan also confirms the restart, but puts it in perspective: « Yes, there is a rebound, it is indeed there, but we remain below our objectives. »

The tour operator believes in the destination and therefore expands his lineup with a new seven-night combo named “Treasures of the Nile to the Pyramids of Cairo“.

The product couples a Cairo discovery with a Nile cruise, in a shorter format than the nine-night combo “Pyramids to the Red Sea“.

At Travel Evasion, Bruno Abenin remains cautious too. For him, the year is “good,” though it could have been “excellent” after the successive impacts of March, April, May and June.

Looking at the current fiscal year ending in late September, the specialist estimates that Egypt activity should still grow by 14 to 16%. « We are riding the very strong activity we saw in Autumn 2025. July-August, which are not big sales months, are tracking the same as last year. The summer was driven by last-minute sales with still available capacities.

But we must be cautious with the figures: if we go from 2 to 4 bookings that is a 100% increase, and yet it remains small… Major deals will start next week, with our main distribution partners, » he details.

He is counting on the upcoming holidays: « We are betting on putting quite a few seats back on sale for the All Saints’ holidays. Typically, at this time, order books are full.

Here, we have specifically restocked: we have added air capacity on the two All Saints departures, notably for the Nile cruise. We are betting on selling it now, last minute. »

As for Cyrille Fradin, president of the Karavel-FRAM-Promovacances group, he, too, remains prudent. While he acknowledges the improvement in July and August, he notes it came after a period when sales were almost at a standstill. « We started from such a low base », he recalls.

The Grand Egyptian Museum of Cairo, an extra showcase for the destination

Recalling the strong sensitivity of Egyptian sales to the evolution of the geopolitical context, he adds: « Egypt actually lives at the pace of Iran ».

According to him, every new alert concerning the Iran-U.S. conflict or the Strait of Hormuz can immediately have commercial consequences for the destination, even if Egypt is not directly touched.

The true resilience indicator will be Egypt’s ability to sustain its momentum over time, he believes.

« Where I think we can really pause to say there is resilience is when, after these few shocks, we truly see it materialize and endure over time. At that moment, we could start talking about a recovery, but right now it seems a little early… »

Nevertheless, Egypt has an asset that few destinations can claim: an exceptional historical and cultural heritage, now complemented by the Grand Egyptian Museum of Cairo.

Open since November 2025, this new site provides an additional selling point for professionals, enriching an offering already anchored by the pyramids, temples, Nile cruises and Red Sea beach stays. A factor that reinforces Egypt’s status as a destination apart.

Published by Céline Eymery Editor-in-Chief – TourMaG.com
See all articles by Céline Eymery

Add TourMaG to your Google News feed

Categories World News Tags Bookings, Cautious, Egypt, Professionals, Rebound, Remain, TRAVEL

Summer 2026 Review: It’s Still Too Early to Draw a Definitive Conclusion, Says Valérie Boned

September 19, 2026 by Amara Nambinga

Invited to Good Morning Business on BFM Business, Monday 17 August 2026, Valérie Boned, president of Entreprises du Voyage, outlined an initial assessment of the summer season. While bookings are retreating, the behaviors of the French are evolving under the influence of purchasing power, wildfires, and international tensions.

At the halfway point of the summer season, Valérie Boned believes it is still too early to draw a definitive bilan. « It’s always difficult to make a halfway assessment », she reminded Erwan Morice, noting that the season extends until the end of September, or even early October.

In France, the wildfires have weighed particularly on certain destinations. In the Var and Gironde, professionals have reported cancellations and changes of destination. «There is a wave of cancellations for destinations in Gironde, Cap Ferret, the Var, especially in outdoor hospitality », she explains.

“There is a budget issue, the cost of living”

Facing the rise in the cost of living, the French are also watching their expenses more closely. “We are paying very close attention to expenditures, that’s for sure: there is a budget issue, the cost of living, purchasing power is very strong this year in particular,” notes the president of Entreprises du Voyage.

On foreign destinations, “there is the domestic political context, a lack of visibility, a very cautious market, and then there was the war, we cannot deny it. For foreign destinations, we have observed a very significant impact for three months. The French were waiting, and the market finally opened up in June-July. We will now have to wait for the figures. »

BFM focused on two destinations: the United States, which suffers from travel costs and the “Trump effect” and Albania, which shows strong growth, close to 300% in the Entreprises du Voyage observatory, driven notably by “a good price-quality ratio“.

“When you have an intermediary who is a professional, you have a contact person.”

Valérie Boned also defends the role of travel agencies in the face of uncertainties. “When you have a professional intermediary, you have a contact person. If you cannot take your flight, there is assistance. If you cannot use the hotel you booked, there is a refund. That is the whole difference. Moreover, the French know this, as there is a return to travel agencies since uncertainties have multiplied and become more significant,” she recalls, as flight disruptions, notably the EasyJet strike and international events, can complicate travel.

Categories World News Tags Boned, Conclusion, Definitive, Draw, Early, Review, Summer, Valérie

EdV-Orchestra Barometer: Summer 2026 Still Lagging (Infographic)

September 19, 2026 by Amara Nambinga

Summer 2026 continues to struggle to reach the levels seen in 2025. The latest EDV-Orchestra barometer, which analyzes the activity of travel agencies—both physical storefronts and online—that use the Orchestra platform, reveals a market in decline in volume, even as the value of sales remains comparatively resilient.

By the end of July, departures showed a 5.6% drop in the number of files compared with July 2025. Sales volume fell by 4.5%, while the average basket rose by 1.2%, to €2,098. However, the increase in the basket is not sufficient to offset the contraction in volumes.

In detail, the gaps are especially pronounced across geographic regions.

France sees its sales volume fall by 4%, with the number of bookings down by 7%. The 4% increase in the average booking value helps to limit the impact. The short- to medium-haul segment displays better resilience, with a sales volume down by only 1.9% and the number of bookings down by 2.7%.

Long-haul, however, remains the market’s main fragility point. The number of bookings drops by 18.5% and the sales volume by 17.6%, despite a slight uptick in the average spend.

The Top 20 destinations illustrate this polarization. France remains at the top despite a 7.2% decrease, while Spain edges up by 4.1%. Morocco (+6.4%), Albania (+288.2%), Japan (+28.3%), and Norway (+15.8%) are among the main growth destinations.

Conversely, several markets post steep declines: Turkey (-35.3%), the United States (-39.1%), Egypt (-22.5%), Portugal (-20.8%), and Tanzania (-23.9%).

French Vacation Observatory

The Travel Companies · Orchestra / Travelsoft

August 2026

01 July 2026 departures

A slowdown compared to July 2025: business volume -4.5%, bookings -5.6%, with the average spend up slightly (+1.2%) at €2,098. The rise in spend does not compensate for the drop in volumes; the market is clearly slowing down in demand.

-4.5 %

Sales turnover

-5.6 %

Number of bookings

+1.2 %

Average spend

€2,098

Geographic zones — July 2026 departures vs 2025

France
Medium-haul
Long-haul

Top 20 destinations — July departures (bookings vs 2025)

02 July 2026 reservations

Reservations stabilize: turnover is almost flat (-0.3%), bookings down (-3.7%), while the average spend increases (+3.5% to €1,909). The market remains more supported by value than by volumes.

-0,3 %

Sales turnover

-3,7 %

Number of bookings

+3,5 %

Average spend

1 909 €

46,6 %

Late bookings < 30 days

vs 47,8 % in 2025

14,3 %

Early bookings > 90 days

vs 14,5 % in 2025

Geographic zones — July 2026 reservations vs 2025

France
Medium-haul
Long-haul

Top 20 destinations — reservations July (bookings vs 2025)

03 Date-based reservations for August 2026

As August 2026 departures approach: reservations remain lower than 2025 — turnover down 7.5%, bookings down 9.1% — despite a rise in the average spend (+1.7% to €2,289). Long-haul remains the most fragile segment (-18% in bookings).

-7,5 %

Sales turnover

-9,1 %

Number of bookings

+1,7 %

Average spend

€2,289

Geographic zones — reservations August 2026 vs 2025

France
Medium-haul
Long-haul

Top 20 destinations — reservations August (bookings vs 2025)

Traveler profiles — reservations August 2026

Solos

4,1 %

Bookings -9.4 % · €1,483

Couples

41,8 %

Bookings -9.0 % · €1,978

Families

40,5 %

Bookings -9.7 % · €2,351

Groups of friends

13,5 %

Bookings -7.5 % · €3,279

Stay categories — reservations August 2026

Packages

-8,8 %

Average spend +2.7 % · €2,407

Accommodations

-9,9 %

Average spend -0.4 % · €1,030

Circuits

-16,1 %

Average spend -0.6 % · €4,132

Top 10 destination cities — reservations August 2026

Source: French Vacation Observatory — The Travel Companies · Orchestra / Travelsoft — August 2026
Departures & reservations July: 01/07 – 28/07/2026 · August: reservations 01/01 – 28/07/2026, departures 01/08 – 31/08/2026.
Data drawn from travel agencies using the Orchestra platform (20+ brands, minimum 2 years).

Categories World News Tags Barometer, EDVOrchestra, Infographic, Lagging, Summer

EDV Mediterranean Convention in Shanghai: Last Remaining Spots

September 19, 2026 by Amara Nambinga

The EDV Méditerranée member agencies are turning their attention to Asia.

For its 2026 convention, the regional delegation chaired by Christine Crispin will take tourism professionals to Shanghai, from December 8 to 13, 2026, with a major asset: a direct flight from Marseille, operated by Shanghai Airlines.

“A longer and more comprehensive version from December 8 to 18 will allow those who wish to discover the essence of China, still at an exceptional price” adds the president of EDV Méditerranée.

Dubbed « Dive into the World of Tomorrow Together », this convention aims to combine professional exchanges, the discovery of a metropolis in full transformation, and cultural immersion.

The program includes, in particular, working meetings, visits to Shanghai’s main districts, a discovery of Tongli village, as well as a closing dinner before the return to Marseille, also ensured by a direct flight.

The convention is open to all travel agencies, not only those affiliated with EDV Méditerranée. Note: last places available – registrations until August 31.

Sightseeing in Shanghai, and the option to extend to Beijing

Participants will discover several facets of Shanghai: the Bund, the former French Concession, Pudong, the Yu Garden, the Jade Buddha Temple, and the Shanghai Museum. The stay will also feature local experiences, such as a Tai Chi session, an acrobat show, or a tasting of culinary specialties.

Professionals wishing to extend their trip can opt for a five-day extension that will take them to Xi’an and Beijing. On the program: the Terracotta Army, the Great Wall, the Forbidden City, the hutongs, and the Temple of Heaven.

Departures will be from Marseille, with the possibility for professionals joining the group from another destination to participate without the international flights.

Categories World News Tags Convention, EDV, Mediterranean, Remaining, Shanghai, Spots

Heatwave: How French Consumers Spend Differently During Extreme Heat

September 19, 2026 by Amara Nambinga

As France continues to set heat records, the heatwave episode of July 2026 seems to have shifted spending more than it has restrained overall consumption.

This is revealed by a SumUp analysis, based on transactions recorded from thousands of merchants between June 24 and July 29, 2026, compared with the same period in 2025.

Save for one detail: this year the government exceptionally extended the sales by one week, until July 28, amid a slowdown in foot traffic.

Un recul de l’activité au plus fort des températures

The SumUp data reveal a slowdown in activity during the heart of the heatwave period. Between July 15 and July 22, 2026, average activity per merchant fell by 8.1% compared with the previous week.

This represented the only weekly decline recorded across the entire study period.

A comparable trend had already been observed the previous summer: between July 15 and 22, 2025, activity per merchant declined by 12.8% in a week.

In 2026, this drop occurred while the year’s second heat wave stretched from July 4 to July 19, i.e., sixteen consecutive days according to Météo-France. In the following week, as temperatures returned to more typical levels, activity began to rise again, increasing by 3.8%.

L’hôtellerie profite du pic de chaleur

Not all sectors, however, are affected in the same way. The hotel industry emerges as one of the main beneficiaries of this heat period.

Between July 8 and July 15, while France recorded the hottest day of this episode and several particularly hot nights, activity per merchant in hospitality rose by 32.9% compared with the previous week.

Over the entire analyzed period, the sector also shows the strongest year-on-year growth among the activities studied, up by 56.5% relative to the same period in 2025.

These results can be explained in particular by a search for greater thermal comfort or the desire to temporarily leave a dwelling that is difficult to refresh: heat can thus influence consumer trade-offs and support certain types of spending.

La restauration pénalisée en fin de vague

Conversely, the catering/restaurant sector experienced a marked slowdown at the end of the heatwave. Between July 15 and 22, restaurant activity fell by 9% compared with the previous week.

Food trucks also recorded a 12 % decline of -7.5%, after two weeks of strong growth, at +24.2% and +16.8% respectively.

These evolutions reflect a shift in behavior when temperatures stay high for an extended period. Outings and outdoor consumption can be more carefully chosen when weather conditions become challenging, while consumers may favor solutions better suited to heat.

Published by Amelia Brille Rédactrice TourMaG.com
See all articles by Amelia Brille

Add TourMaG to your Google News feed

Categories World News Tags Consumers, Differently, Extreme, French, Heat, Heatwave, Spend

Fortunes: Wealthy Families Investing in Hospitality and Tourism

September 19, 2026 by Amara Nambinga

This summer, the Challenges magazine published its ranking of France’s 500 largest professional fortunes

This list helps to identify several profiles who are particularly present in hospitality and related activities.

Hospitality and tourism are not necessarily the main business of France’s fortunes, but many of them own groups or assets in these sectors.

The Duval family posts an estimated fortune of 2 billion euros

At 62nd place, the Duval family shows an estimated fortune of 2 billion euros, unchanged from 2025.

They own the Duval Group, presented in the ranking as a group active in holding, real estate, services and hospitality.

The Challenges commentary notes that Éric Duval and his children, Pauline and Louis-Victor, are building a group whose turnover reaches 1 billion euros, with a particular focus on real estate, tourism, leisure and microfinance in Africa.

At 85th place, Patrice Pichet and his family are credited with a fortune of 1.6 billion euros, stable compared to 2025.

The Pichet Group operates in real estate, wines and hospitality.

According to the table, Patrice Pichet, supported by his four sons, leads a group reporting 1.8 billion euros in turnover, with activities in property development, a property holding company, a vineyard – Les Carmes de Haut-Brion – and hospitality.

The Altitude Group is presented as active in telecoms, real estate and hospitality

Also ranked 85th, Jean-Paul Rivière and his family have a fortune estimated at 1.6 billion euros, down from 1.7 billion in 2025.

The Altitude Group is described as active in telecoms, real estate and hospitality.

The table indicates that the Norman founder and his family notably own the group’s fiber-optics infrastructure operator, run by his daughter, as well as activities in real estate and senior residences.

Frédéric Jousset, ranked 140th with a fortune estimated at 1.05 billion euros, holds notably a stake in Karavel, a major player in travel.

Further down the list, Jean-Louis Costes appears at 271st place, with a fortune estimated at 540 million euros, unchanged from 2025.

His group, Saint Honoré, is described in the sectors of real estate and hospitality.

The ranking’s commentary recalls that he developed, with his brother, a network of Parisian brasseries and owns the Hôtel Costes, a five-star establishment on Rue Saint-Honoré, featuring a spa.

The Gad-Roblin family: 525 million euros

Jacques Gad, Françoise Roblin and their family sit at 272nd place, with a fortune of 525 million euros, stable over one year.

Their group, Cofigad, operates in hospitality. The family owns a hotel group of around thirty establishments under an Accor franchise, representing 2,600 rooms, primarily in Paris but also in Switzerland.

At 257th place, Pierre and Marie-Laure Esnée have a fortune estimated at 560 million euros, versus 580 million in 2025.

Their company, You Famille Hôtelière, operates in hospitality.

The table notes that these former agro-food industrialists, from Frial, have transformed over more than fifteen years into this hotel-management group of 100 hotels, as well as into wine with Château Garraud.

Also ranked 257th, Anne Jousse and her family show a fortune of 560 million euros, up from 440 million in 2025.

Her group, B Signature Hotels & Resorts, appears under the “Insurance” category, but the commentary highlights its hotel activity: she is developing a collection of seven luxury hotels in Paris, Saint-Barthélemy and Brittany, in addition to the family insurance brokerage group.

Other fortunes linked to hospitality

The ranking reveals several other fortunes connected, directly or indirectly, to hospitality and tourism.

At 282nd place, Célia Chambon and her family hold 500 million euros. The Socri-IFC Group is described as active in real estate and hospitality. The table notes that Célia Chambon controls this commercial real estate and hospitality group, while her brother is developing luxury real estate promotion.

At 261st place, Jean-François Gobertier shows a fortune of 500 million euros, down from 525 million in 2025. His group, GDP Vendôme, operates in real estate and hospitality. The table mentions a group comprising health assets and service residences.

Finally, at 462nd place, Alain Thiénot shows a fortune of 280 million euros, down from 290 million in 2025. His group, Arvitis, operates in wines, champagne and hospitality. The table notes that the family owns notably the champagnes Thiénot, Canard-Duchêne, Marie Stuart and Joseph Perrier, as well as the wines Dourthe and Kressmann, and that they opened a luxury boutique-hotel in Reims at the end of 2025.

Categories World News Tags Families, Fortunes, Hospitality, Investing, Tourism, Wealthy

GreenGo: Short Getaways Loved by Travelers This Summer

September 19, 2026 by Amara Nambinga

As autumn approaches, GreenGo presents an initial assessment of the summer season of 2026.

As of August 17, the platform’s data show a summer marked by short getaways, a certain stability in budgets, and an increased use of last-minute bookings.

According to these first figures, still partial and to be completed in early September after consolidating August bookings, couples account for 60.8% of bookings made on GreenGo this summer.

The average duration of stays reaches 2.9 nights, down 3% compared with the reference period. More than six stays out of ten (62.5%) are now between one and two nights.

This shift reflects a trend toward prioritizing several getaways over a single extended trip during the summer. The average budget stands at 367 euros per stay, a modest 1% decline. The median price reaches 112 euros per night, up 2%.

Bookings made shortly before departure are also on the rise. 34.2% of getaways were booked within the 14 days prior to arrival, confirming the weight of last-minute decisions in the observed summer behaviors.

L’Ardèche, les Côtes-d’Armor et le Finistère en tête

On the destination side, GreenGo’s ranking highlights three regions: Ardèche, Côtes-d’Armor, and Finistère.

These results fit with the platform’s positioning, launched commercially in 2021, which now lists more than 26,000 selected accommodations in French regions.

Gîtes, bed and breakfasts, cabins, unusual lodgings or even tiny houses make up its catalog.

GreenGo also reports 150,000 travelers since its launch, as well as an average rating of 4.8/5 based on more than 29,000 reviews analyzed continuously. The platform also notes having recorded more than 460,000 overnight stays.

GreenGo focuses on local travel and gentle mobility

Beyond the summer figures, GreenGo continues to develop an offering centered on local tourism and reducing the environmental footprint of stays.

The platform claims a deliberately tighter selection of its accommodations: fewer than 30% of candidate lodgings are intended to be listed. Each accommodation is evaluated according to a 113-criteria framework and undergoes an eco-score and a CO2 score calculation.

Since 2023, GreenGo has also developed mobility-related features. Its filter “car-free compatible” enables identifying accommodations reachable by train or public transport and offering activities feasible without a vehicle. The platform states it counts more than 1,500 hosts compatible, representing nearly 3,000 accommodations.

Its “Explore” engine also allows users to search for a destination based on the starting point, mode of transport, and the maximum desired travel time.

A France off the beaten tourist paths

To accompany this trend toward locally oriented travel, GreenGo also highlights its guide ‘The destinations you won’t find in guides’, devoted to less frequented territories.

The content offers three territories and nine stops, with walks, villages, natural spaces, recommended eateries, and addresses suggested by the hosts.

This approach aligns with GreenGo’s stated ambition since its creation: to promote discovery of French territories and to provide alternatives to the most visited tourist destinations.

The platform now intends to continue its development and has the ambition to become a European reference for local travel.

Published by Amelia Brille TourMaG.com Editor
View all articles by Amelia Brille

Add TourMaG to your Google News feed

Categories World News Tags Getaways, GreenGo, Loved, Short, Summer, Travelers

Older posts

Newer posts

Previous Page1 Page2 Page3 … Page71 Next