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📝 "Septembristes," composed primarily of retirees, childless couples, and freelancers, emerged as travel trendsetters in September 2024. Preferring bed and breakfasts and boutique hotels, they opt for private tours or thematic stays focusing on gastronomy and wine. With flexible dates, they avoid peak season crowds, enjoy quieter destinations, and take advantage of better rates. Planning in advance with an eye for last-minute deals, their average vacation lasts one to two weeks, prioritizing quality accommodation, dining, and cultural excursions.

🏅 Paris hosted the Paralympics concluding on September 8 after the Olympics. Hospitality and restaurant sectors (CHR) presented a mixed picture, according to Pascal Mousset and Frank Delvau. From July 1-18, business slowed as locals left and telework increased. Restaurants and bars in Paris reported a 20-70% loss in revenue before the opening ceremony on July 26. Zones with security measures saw up to an 80% decline. Traditional dining venues lost regular clientele, with museums and taxis also experiencing a 30% and 40% drop, respectively, while national restaurant chains saw a 12% decrease. However, high-end hotels had 85-90% occupancy from July 26 to August 11, with rates doubling, but occupancy fell to 40-50% post-Games. Hospitality projected at 65% occupancy during the Games, but the overall year was not positive for hoteliers. Surveys by GHR and Umih are underway for a definite economic impact assessment.

🍛 La 7e édition du festival Kouss·Kouss à Marseille du 28 août au 8 septembre 2024 célébrera le couscous, impliquant 180 restaurants et commerces. Partie de l'Été marseillais 2024, il est soutenu par l'Office de Tourisme de Marseille, la Ville de Marseille, couscous Carret Munos et l’hôtel Mercure Canebière Vieux-Port. Cette année inclut une collaboration avec l'APHM pour proposer des recettes de couscous dans les hôpitaux marseillais.

🍴 Laurent Plantier, head of FrenchFood Capital, leads the 2024 Restauration Awards Committee for the Leaders Club. By mid-September, 70 innovative dining concepts will be assessed, narrowing down to approximately 10 nominees in QUICK SERVICE, CASUAL DINING, and FINE DINING categories. Restaurateurs have until August 31 to apply. The Committee comprises industry leaders from companies like Columbus Café, IT Italian Trattoria, and Coca-cola. FrenchFood Capital, with €400M in assets, has invested in over 30 food sector companies.

🏦 Groupe Logis Hôtels sets a new booking record with 6 consecutive years of growth, increasing revenue by 10%. Website logishotels.com grows by 10%, while specialized distributors like Booking and Expedia grow by only 2%. Notably, international clientele increased by 10%, accounting for 45% of seasonal bookings, influenced by the Olympic Games. Areas near Paris, such as Nord (+109%), Marne (+79%), Côte Fleurie (+52%), Oise (+39%), and Indre (+34%), saw significant boosts. Other growth factors include a modest price increase of 4% from 2023, a loyalty program with a 15% revenue hike and 5.5% cashback, and strong branding campaigns. The group expects a +12% growth in September, with a significant 27% increase in business clientele, as confirmed by the General Director, Karim Soleilhavoup.

🏅 Raccourci Agency, supported by Atout France, released a free app for hoteliers and guests for real-time information on the 2024 Paralympic Games and local city details—dining, visiting, directions. The app roadBOOK features a chatbot, Django, answering queries in 25 languages. It offers event schedules by location and sport, Paralympic history, FAQs, cultural events, shows, museums, restaurants with top reviews within 1km of venues, and free virtual travel advisor access.

🏩 Ludo de Jong, with a notable hotel career, has led numerous successful large-scale rebranding, pre-opening, and renovation projects, elevating hotels to market peaks and fostering team engagement. He has a strong involvement in the gastronomy sector, contributing to the launch of renowned dining establishments, including Michelin-starred restaurants. Welcomed to Anantara The Marker Dublin, Ludo's dedication to innovation and team empowerment is valued for enhancing guest experiences at Anantara's first Irish hotel, as per Giles Selves, Senior Vice President of Luxury Hotels at Minor Hotels Europe & Americas.

🏨 The Hotels Network (THN), a platform working with over 20,000 hotels worldwide, launched KITT, the first AI-powered guest advisor designed to enhance customer experience and operational efficiency. It offers 24/7 assistance, both orally and in writing, via phone or directly on the hotel's website. KITT's capabilities include handling reservations round-the-clock, multilingual support, offering exclusive deals, and customization for individual hotels to address specific challenges and streamline client communication.

🍝 Monsieur Xu, nearly 50, leads Nouilles Ceintures, with three Parisian locations since 2018, the latest in the XVII arrondissement. Noucadémie in Lyon, run by siblings Gan and Meng, also finds success with Biang Biang noodles. South Koreans consume an average of 69 noodle portions yearly. In France, 1€ can buy a packet or cup of instant noodles. Iconic dishes like ramen, chow mein, and pad thai in noodle restaurants range from 10€ to 15€ on average.

🏖️ In June 2023, France's Minister of Enterprise, Tourism, and Consumption, Olivia Grégoire, introduced a Tourism Flow Management strategy. Atout France selected 25 winners to develop innovative approaches over 18 months, with technical and financial support, to smooth out peak visitation periods at popular tourist sites. Additionally, an operation of influence began in August, featuring educational content with Jamy Gourmaud. A Sustainable Tourism initiative by Atout France, launched on August 22, offers grants up to €50,000 for water management projects, with applications due by October 4, 2024.