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🥂 Vanguélis Panayotis interviews François Van Aal, President of Champagnes Lanson, discussing the brand's strategy and hospitality roots. Lanson, founded in 1760, combines three centuries of heritage with a modern approach. Operating in over 80 countries and accounting for 85% of shipments, Lanson launched a "reconquest plan" in 2020, revamping marketing, communication, packaging, and distributor relations. Head winemaker since 2013, Hervé Dantan, introduced Black Réserve, a blend aged five years, featuring 50% Pinot Noir, 35% Chardonnay, and 15% Meunier.

💰 Accor's Board of Directors unanimously plans to renew Sébastien Bazin's term as Chairman and CEO ahead of schedule—originally set to end in 2026, now proposed for an additional three-year term, pending shareholder approval at the general meeting on May 28. The decision, tied to the strategic importance of Accor's 2027 goals, reflects the Board's confidence in the current leadership and a desire for continuity as Accor expands globally. Bazin has been leading Accor since 2013.

💙 In Montpellier, dubbed the capital of love and friendship, businesses saw a +73.2% increase in volume and +64.9% in activity for Valentine's Day 2025. Saint-Galentin celebrations resulted in a +137.2% and +57.2% boost. Hotels surged with a +212.9% in business for Saint-Galentin and +164.8% for Valentine's Day, compared to 2024. Overall, the Valentine's period brought a +46.7% jump in business volume and +39.5% in activity from the previous year. Fintech SumUp analyzed transactions on February 13 and 14, 2025, highlighting the economic impact of love and friendship celebrations.

📌 On March 4, 2025, from 11:00 to 12:00, Bruno Lanvin, Director of the 4-star Hôtel Les Artistes in Paris Montparnasse, will share best practices for optimizing operations and customer experience using CRM, AI, and a task management tool during the "Webinaire Paroles d'Hôtelier". The webinar will discuss personalizing the customer experience, content creation, and streamlining internal communication. Registration is available even for those unable to attend, with a recording provided post-event.

🍴 In Paris, Coya restaurant, part of the Turkish group D.ream and specializing in Peruvian cuisine, suddenly closed, leaving 30 employees jobless—down from 75 at its opening. Opened in 2019 in the Beaupassage district, the 300-seat venue known for its festive atmosphere shut down without notice during a staff meeting. Closure reasons included neighborhood issues, high rent, and decreased weekday patronage. Coya Global, with about a dozen restaurants worldwide, plans to focus on the Côte d’Azur. The business was unsuccessfully offered to investors by D.ream's CEO, Frenchman Jean-François Casanova.

📖 A French decree from February 13, 2025, expands on the December 17, 2002, decree, mandating the display of meat origins in restaurants, including where the animals were born, raised, and slaughtered. Initially a temporary measure from March 1, 2022, to February 29, 2024, this requirement now also applies to pork, sheep, and poultry meats and affects dine-in, takeout, and delivery establishments. Meat origin must be visibly indicated on menus or other materials, clarifying the country of birth, raising, and slaughter for customer awareness.

🏨 In 2024, the hospitality sector in the GCC region, including Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE, saw a 5.4% increase in revenue per available room (RevPAR) compared to 2023, with occupancy rates reaching 69.5%. This growth exceeds pre-pandemic levels, driven by initiatives like Saudi Vision 2030 and UAE's "We the UAE 2031". Luxury hospitality emerges as a key growth driver, with exclusive insights to be shared at Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2025.

💸 Accor's financial results presented by Sébastien Bazin and Martine Gerow for FY 2024 show a revenue of €5.6 billion, up by 11% from 2023. Premium, Mid-range, and Economy division grew by 5%, while Luxury & Lifestyle soared by 19%. The group's operating profit (EBE) reached a record €1.12 billion, a 12% increase from 2023, surpassing pre-Covid figures around €500 million. Accor's RevPAR is supported by occupancy rates and average price growth, with 290 hotel openings in 2024.

💼 On March 8, the International Women's Rights Day highlighted the persistent inequality between women and men in businesses and administrations, noting a lack of real commitment from employers and governments to enforce laws for professional equality. Women earn on average 23.5% less than men (including part-time work), hold 42.6% of management positions despite being more educated, make up 57% of minimum wage earners, occupy nearly 80% of part-time jobs (many of which are involuntary), and receive pensions that are 38% lower than those of men.

📈 Sébastien Bazin's mandate as president is renewed for three years post-2024, following Accor's strong performance results. The board's confidence stems from significant KPI growth, with double-digit increases in gross margin, net results, and royalty valuations since Covid. Bazin's focus includes improving operational performance and accelerating geographical expansion, particularly in Latin America, where he spends 75% of his time.