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📈 Ascott Limited, part of CapitaLand Investment, at HICSA in Mumbai, announced plans to double its India portfolio from 5,500 units by end of 2024 to 12,000 by 2028. CEO Kevin Goh cited India's growing middle class, rising disposable incomes, and improving infrastructure as key growth factors. Ascott signed three new projects in Q1 2025, adding 600 units, totaling around 6,100 units across 22 properties. New projects include Oakwood Sensation Dona Paula Goa with 150 units and Oakwood Thanjavur with 100 units.

🏦 The 30th Forum de l'Alternance will take place on April 29 and 30, 2025, in Paris. This event is dedicated to finding apprenticeship or professionalization contracts. Attendees can expect hundreds of offers, opportunities to meet with recruiters, and celebratory activities including contests and surprise animations. Notable hotel brands Accor and Marriott will be recruiting alternates at the forum. More information can be found on www.forum-alternance.fr.

🏠 Gîtes de France celebrated 70 years in 2024 and added 7,000 new properties, joining nearly 55,000 owners, 84% of whom are in rural areas. Despite a trend of properties leaving the network in recent years to avoid commissions and leverage digital platforms like Airbnb, Booking, and Expedia, the network has adapted to allow property owners to choose their solutions and maintain autonomy while still benefiting from the brand. Although Google Trends shows a decline in the "Gîtes de France" brand search interest, the term "gite" remains strong, indicating sustained interest in this type of accommodation. Gîtes de France has managed to retain appeal among owners and remains a favorite brand in France, even as it competes with OTAs and maintains a significant online presence with 43% of bookings through its websites and local centers.

💳 Sen Zhuang et Parker Zhao ont étudié l'impact des options de paiement sur les taux de conversion, révélant que proposer divers moyens de paiement lors du processus de paiement final augmente la conversion et les revenus. L'offre de paiements locaux, portefeuilles numériques comme Apple Pay ou Google Pay, et prélèvements bancaires peut mener à +7% de conversion et +12% de revenus. Sites proposant Apple Pay ont vu +22,3% de conversion et +22,5% de revenus; WeChat Pay a donné +13% de conversion et +14% de revenus; Revolut Pay a mené à +3% de conversion et +13% de revenus. Amazon a un taux de conversion moyen de 9,58%, tandis que Booking pourrait atteindre 2,2% et Airbnb varie de 0,4% à 2,2%.

🔎 Steve Hafner, CEO of Kayak, revealed via LinkedIn on April 10, 2025, the launch of the experimental kayak.ai, an AI-driven conversational agent for travel planning that connects to real-time travel inventories. Unlike traditional search portals, kayak.ai remembers user preferences and provides real-time pricing. Kayak's integration with AI began in March 2023, including data availability in ChatGPT results, following partnerships with Amazon's Alexa and Apple's Siri.

🎬 The Futuroscope deploys "Fenêtres Immersives" (Immersive Windows) in Nantes, Bordeaux, and Créteil, developed by French start-up DigitaLandmarks. These interactive digital displays preview three attractions: L'Aquascope, Chasseur de Tornades (Best Attraction 2022), and L’Extraordinaire Voyage. Visitors can potentially win Futuroscope tickets and stays. The immersive experiences are available on specific dates: April 9-12, 2025, in Beaulieu (Nantes), April 16-19 in Créteil Soleil (94), and April 23-26 in Mérignac Soleil (Bordeaux). A previous campaign in a Paris store saw 50,000 visitors and 1 million social media impressions in a week. DigitaLandmarks was founded in 2019 and has been involved in events like the 2023 Rugby World Cup.

🏕 French outdoor hospitality faced strategic changes in 2024, with a slight decrease of 0.3% in domestic overnight stays, totaling 141.18 million. Despite setbacks from weather, elections, and late school holidays, foreign visitors brought a 4.6% increase, contributing 36.4 million overnight stays, accounting for 30% of total camping stays in France. August experienced unparalleled regional tourism. The industry confronts climate change, competition, and needs modernization and public support.

🍽 In June 2023, three-starred chef Michel Guérard celebrated his 90th birthday at his residence in Eugénie-les-Bains, a village in the Landes region made famous by Maison Guérard, a countryside Relais & Châteaux. Shortly after, over a hundred of his peers, mostly starred chefs, paid tribute to him at Domaine de Primard, near Giverny. Guérard, who revolutionized gastronomy by combining lightness with flavor, might have continued his career in Paris if not for meeting Christine Barthélemy, a HEC graduate and heiress of the Chaîne thermale du soleil, in 1972. Their love led him to the Landes and transformed Eugénie-les-Bains and haute cuisine. Christine's sudden death occurred in 2019.

🏨 Room Mate Hotels expands in Europe with the recent opening of Room Mate Collection Mia in Rome, a 65-room boutique hotel conversion of the former Capo d'Africa. Interior designed by Luis García Fraile, the hotel aims for a memorable stay focusing on comfort and hospitality. Founder Kike Sarasola sees this as part of their broader European expansion, strengthening their Italian market presence alongside hotels in Florence, Milan, and Venice.

🚢 From July 10-13, 2025, Dunkirk will host the second stage of the Tall Ships Races with 40 exceptional sailboats from around the globe. The event, "Voiles de Légende Dunkerque 2025," features free festivities, including access to ships like Belem and Dar Mlodziezy, concerts, workshops, and two major parades.