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🏖️ France's tourist season from August 31 to November 1, 2024, mirrors 2023 with stable overnight stays: French clientele down 2%, international up 2%. Outdoor hospitality in September dropped by 8% due to bad weather but improved in October with a 4% increase. Hotels and tourist residences faced a 13% decrease in international customers in September, attributed to the previous year's Rugby World Cup. Seasonal rentals saw a 6% hike in nights booked despite a 4-point dip in occupancy rate.

🌳 Mauro Colagreco, Ambassadeur de bonne volonté de l'Unesco pour la biodiversité en 2022, a annoncé un partenariat entre Relais & Châteaux et l'Unesco lors du congrès international annuel à Paris, mi-novembre. L'association de 580 propriétés et 800 restaurants vise la protection de la biodiversité à travers une stratégie de 12 engagements.

📖 La loi renforçant la régulation des meublés de tourisme publiée le 21 novembre au Journal Officiel pourrait voir une révision fiscale spécifique pour les gîtes et chambres d'hôtes. Un conseiller de la ministre à l'économie touristique, Marina Ferrari, a évoqué un respect pour l'abattement différencié débattu par les parlementaires. Une réunion est prévue le 2 décembre pour discuter d'un possible retour de l'abattement de 71% pour ces hébergements. Les propriétaires pourraient devoir passer au régime du "réel" et tenir une comptabilité détaillée pour justifier leurs dépenses. La loi, qui s'appliquera dès 2026, suscite préoccupations sur l'équité fiscale et les changements majeurs sont incertains malgré des raisons économiques valables.

❄ French mountains remain a top choice for winter activities, with a focus on hotel booking trends for the winter of 2024-2025. Data extracted on November 18, 2024, highlights the Alpine departments as the frontrunners in winter bookings. The analysis comes from OTB Montagne by Hospitality ON, with additional insights from MKG Consulting, a specialized press in sector studies, events, and training, based in Paris.

🏖 In 2023, the McKinsey report reveals a shift in tourism, with travelers choosing destinations based on in-place experiences. The experiential market is valued at $1 trillion with a projected growth of over 14% by 2025. However, only 53% of experience bookings are made online compared to 77% for airlines, 61% for hotels, and up to 89% for short-term rentals. Despite its potential, the market's digitalization lags behind, affecting the attractiveness and emergence of tourism destinations. Operators of tourist "experiences" and promoting entities are partly responsible for this digital shortfall. Yet, 63% of travelers decide on destinations for their experience offerings, indicating the vital role of online visibility for local experiences.

🏨 Hospitality ON highlights the latest international hotel openings and upcoming inaugurations, with a focus on group, chain, and voluntary network hotels. The report includes a map of new hotels opened in the last 10 days, showcasing locations, photos, and essential details. Newly opened hotels are marked in yellow, announced openings in blue, rebranded reopenings in green, and signed hotel projects in orange, set to launch in months or years.

🍴 Nawal Rezagui, aiming to become the first Moroccan female chef with a Michelin star in France, joined the brigade at Domaine de Fontenille in Luberon in 2021. In 2022, she became the head chef at Hautes Mers on the island of Yeu. Now in Champagne, her menu features Moroccan spices, island specialties, and local products enhanced by champagne. She utilizes her own garden at the Briqueterie to source aromatic herbs, seasonal fruits, and prioritizes locally grown vegetables and French-origin meats and fish.

📍 Lighthouse, a travel and hospitality industry intelligence platform, secured a $370 million investment led by investment firm KKR to enhance its tech offerings and international growth. The funding follows a previous $80 million round in 2021, with KKR investing through its Next Generation Technology III fund. With over 700 employees, Lighthouse aims to use AI for real-time insights to improve booking, operations, and customer experience for revenue managers and property owners.

🍴 Chef Thibault Nizard takes the helm at L'Auberge des Templiers's kitchen and restaurant on December 5, 2024. Born in Paris and raised in southern France, 32-year-old Nizard has already garnered accolades like the 2023 Gault et Millau Young Talent Trophy, the first prize at the World Championship of Lièvre à la Royale, and the Best Wine List in Paris by Lebey guide for his own establishment. L'Auberge des Templiers, a founding member of Relais & Châteaux, will celebrate its 80th anniversary in 2025.

📊 The new "Panorama Statistique Emploi Formation" of the RCLS Branch, a comprehensive resource containing key data on the sector, is now available. It includes information on companies, employees, employment dynamics, and professional training trends and devices. Grégory HULIN, Director of Employment, Training & Working Conditions, encourages reading and sharing for enhancing understanding and valorization of the branch.