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🏨 Logis Hôtels, a key player in independent hospitality, experienced a reduction of its hotel network in 2024. Despite this, revenue growth was driven by improved digital tool use and an upgraded service range. Karim Soleilhavoup, the group's CEO, discusses industry changes, distribution mix evolution, and new performance strategies aiding hoteliers amidst economic uncertainty. Leadership is gauged by hotel and room count, loyalty program size, and customer satisfaction.

🏖️ On February 14, 2025, Jean-Pierre Cochet was elected president of the Marseille Office of Tourism, Leisure, and Congress by its board members. He succeeds Laurent Lhardit, now a parliamentarian, and continues a strategy focused on sustainable attractiveness adopted in 2024. Marc Thépot remains a central figure as delegated president. Initiatives include forming a Tourism Stakeholders Committee, launching a Marseille Pass for residents, and creating a sustainable hospitality charter for business tourism.

🏨 OKKO HOTELS and SOHOMA integrate CSR into their financial reports and development strategies, showcasing that responsible hospitality can be profitable and impactful. OKKO HOTELS, a family-owned French hotel group, became the first in the industry with a mission-oriented company status, focusing on sustainability. In 2024, OKKO HOTELS reported a revenue of €52.6 million, highlighting the success of balancing financial performance with social and environmental impact.

🏃 On February 12, 2025, French hospitality sector unions opposed the merger of Atout France and Business France, arguing the move threatens the partnership-based governance model of French tourism. Atout France, a Groupement d’Intérêt Économique (GIE), gets €30 million annually from its members, a public-private funding crucial for tourism promotion. Atout France focuses solely on tourism development and promotion, with domestic tourists accounting for 70% of the tourism GDP in 2023, unlike Business France's mission for international business support.

🏨 The 30th Hospitality Operator Forum will take place on June 12 at the InterContinental Paris le Grand, focusing on industry adaptation and artificial intelligence integration. Federico González Tejera, CEO of Louvre Hotels Group with experience at NH Hotel Group and Radisson Hotel Group, is working on revitalizing the company. JOST, an innovative hotel brand, combines dynamic social spaces with flexible accommodations, featuring bars, restaurants, and event spaces, and is experiencing strong expansion.

💳 Groupe CDS, French business travel management solutions leader, welcomes Andera Partners as a new investor in 2020. CEO Ziad Minkara regains majority ownership. Founded in 2001, offers a digital platform for corporate and agency hotel reservations. With 450 employees across 5 European countries (France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Croatia) and 4 brands (CDS, CRC, Goelett, SIAP), it manages €800 million in annual hotel bookings. In February 2024, CDS enhanced its partnership with Booking.com by integrating Demand API V3.

📈 Vanessa Heydorff, Directrice Générale at Booking.com France, reveals the company's AI integration to enhance travel experiences, targeting personalization and simplification for customers. In France, about 40% of travelers trust AI. Booking.com harnesses AI for new features, with studies showing 48% of global travelers ready to embrace AI solutions. Since 2022, Booking.com employs tools like ChatGPT from OpenAI, leveraging large data sets for tailored assistance like the "AI Trip Planner" for personalized travel suggestions.

🏨 Radisson Hotel Group (RHG) initiates a transformative approach to hotel booking and engagement by leveraging advanced technology for an immersive customer journey focused on personalization, innovation, and sustainability. Senior Director of Digital Customer Experience, Mario Manfuro, spearheads the initiative, moving away from traditional booking methods to allow exploration of destinations and digital hotel replicas before booking. This change was conceived during the Covid19 crisis to virtually "open the doors" to RHG's hotels.

🏢 Xavier Grange announces a record year for Sofitel brands in 2024: over 22 new deals, 4500 rooms added, and a high in contract value. Maud Bailly's strategic leadership initiated two years prior. Sofitel Legend added 3 iconic locations in Prague, India, and Giza. The world's largest Sofitel, Sofitel Cairo Downtown Nile with 615 rooms, is set to open in January 2025. MGallery expands with 48 hotels in the pipeline, reaching Japan, the Caribbean, and Mexico. Emblems brand secured 7 notable hotels globally. Sofitel renovates 26% of its network, including New York and Montréal flagships, while MGallery renovates 8% of its portfolio.