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📝 In France, professional organizations from the restaurant and food retail sector are urging senators to avoid hasty legislation and instead focus on modernizing the restaurant voucher system as the Senate debates the bill this week. The current bill, aimed at reintroducing the use of restaurant vouchers for non-immediately consumable goods like pasta and flour for two years, is opposed in favor of more comprehensive modernization. The urgency for such legislation ended after the deadline of December 31, 2024, due to the Barnier government's censure and halting of parliamentary work.

🐕 The Association Hôtellerie du Québec (AHQ) and ExperiSens, a research unit of the Institut de tourisme et d’hôtellerie du Québec (ITHQ), published a guide for welcoming dogs in hotels. With financial support from the Ministry of Tourism, this guide was developed from a study aimed at providing Quebec hoteliers with the tools needed to cater to the growing trend of travelers with dogs, ensuring comfort and safety for all guests. It includes an in-depth analysis of local and international practices, incorporating expert opinions, including that of a veterinarian and a human-animal relationship researcher. The report highlights financial, regulatory, and service recommendations to enhance the experience of travelers with dogs.

🏕 In 2024, the French tourism team experienced a year of highs from major events like the Olympics and lows during spring and fall, resulting in a slightly positive overall outcome. Aéroports de Paris saw a 3.6% increase in traffic for the first 11 months, with a boost in August by 4.7% due to the Olympics and French departures. SNCF Voyageurs reported a 4% increase. French hotels and holiday villages noted a revenue increase of 1.5% and 1.8% respectively, while Parisian hotels ended the year neutral (+0%) as gains during the Olympics (x2.5) were offset by regular declines.

🌊 In May 2024, Beyond Plastic Med (BeMed) launched its second call for projects dedicated to Mediterranean islands, supporting 7 local initiatives across 6 Mediterranean countries to combat plastic pollution. Notably, in 2020, BeMed backed a French project "Projet pilote zéro plastique" by SMILO, which developed prototypes for plastic alternatives using local materials like Provence cane and date palm residues on Kerkennah island.