Divers

🎄 65% of French shoppers make their Christmas purchases between October and November, signaling the importance of launching marketing campaigns during this period. The hospitality and restaurant sectors see this as a golden opportunity with customers seeking unique experiences and gifts like gastronomic meals or exceptional stays, often in the form of gift boxes or vouchers. With 78% of French consumers shopping online for Christmas, Console SecretBox, the leading e-commerce solution for direct, commission-free gift boxes and vouchers, advises businesses to prepare online sales, ensuring immediate availability and maximizing visibility. Campaigns should start now to anticipate demand, increase conversions, and take advantage of targeted email, SMS, social media posts, and keyword purchases. Contact Console Secretbox experts for Christmas marketing campaign preparation.

🍵 Matcha, a green tea powder, originated from China and became a central element in Japanese tea ceremonies during the Muromachi era. Cultivated primarily in regions like Uji, Japan, the tea plants are shaded before harvesting to increase chlorophyll and enhance flavor. Harvesting occurs from May to June, with immediate processing to maintain freshness, involving steaming and grinding using stone mills. Recognized by its bright green color, fine texture, and a balance of flavor and sweetness, high-quality matcha is rich in antioxidants, catechins like EGCG, L-theanine, and moderate caffeine levels. It can boost energy, mental clarity, and calorie burning, and reduce skin aging effects. Although matcha cultivation at home is possible, it requires specific conditions and processing equipment. To ensure freshness, matcha should be stored in a cool, dark place, sealed, and dry, and consumed within three to six months. Despite its health benefits, excessive consumption can lead to side effects due to caffeine and possible heavy metal contamination. Matcha's popularity has extended into beauty products and athlete diets for its anti-inflammatory and immune-boosting properties. It also supports meditation and mindfulness due to its calming L-theanine content. Modern matcha-infused recipes include lattes, cakes, cookies, and cheesecakes.

🚬 The European Commission issued a smoke-free environment recommendation on September 17, 2024, urging EU member states to expand anti-smoking policies to include main outdoor areas. The GHR (Groupement des Hôtelleries et Restaurations de France) opposes any ban on smoking on outdoor cafe and restaurant terraces, citing the importance of these spaces for conviviality between smokers and non-smokers. The hospitality industry complies with indoor and enclosed terrace smoking bans for health reasons.

💰 Belay Avocats, JLL, Versant Avocats, GALM, Mazars, N9 Notaires, and Artélia involved in corporate and transactional operations. Legal audit by Belay Avocats' Géraldine Eberhardt and Julia Elkael. Social audit by Versant Avocats' Louise Thiebaut and Fanny Perhirin. Tax audit by GALM's Pierre Appremont and Pierre Pérol. Financial audit by Mazars' Baptiste Kalasz, Natacha Dépit, Romain Josserand. Notarial audit by N9 Notaires' Pierre Dailliez. Technical audit by Artélia's Wandrille Boivin and Mustapha Ghalem.

🍴 The 6th edition of the "Marché complice" is set for Sunday, October 20, 2024, from 9 am to 3 pm in Saint-Jean-de-Luz. Organized by Benat Moity from Benat Fromager and the Collège Culinaire de France, the event showcases the rich local culinary heritage. Over 30 quality artisans, mostly members of the Collège Culinaire de France, will celebrate artisanal craftsmanship with diverse products. The event is part of "Octobre Gourmand" in the city.

🏖 During the IFTM Top Resa event, Nicolas François, Director of the Digital, Commercialization, Explore Grand Est Platform at the Regional Tourism Agency Grand-Est, spoke about their new service My Explore. My Explore, part of the Explore Grand Est platform, aims to connect travelers with tourism stakeholders in the Grand Est through collections of exclusive and thematic tourist offers.

🏖️ At IFTM Top Resa, CEO of SWiTCH, Armelle Solelhac, revealed the lack of investments in tourism and sports sectors. She's working towards establishing a dedicated investment fund.

🎸 Kimpton St Honoré Paris, a 5-star hotel, partners with iconic American guitar brand Gibson, founded in 1894 in Nashville, Tennessee. Gibson, with a 130-year legacy, installs a unique private showroom at the hotel. Guests can enjoy an immersive Gibson experience through access to award-winning Gibson TV documentaries in their rooms, celebrating guitar, music, and culture. 🎸

💰 The exceptional aid established in 2020 to support apprenticeship schemes in France has been discontinued by decree, ceasing the hiring bonus for professional training contracts from May 1. The aid remains for initial training apprentices only.

📑 Over 31 examples provided for schools to better manage online reviews, highlighting the significance of responding to feedback in shaping e-reputation. Responses to positive comments show appreciation and commitment to personalized attention, whereas addressing negative feedback demonstrates a school's commitment to problem resolution. Schools should automate monitoring, train staff in professional and empathetic communication, avoid defensive or generic replies, and recognize the emotions behind comments. Using feedback to identify common issues and improve services is essential, as well as involving teachers, staff, and students to create a collaborative school culture. The article includes various templated responses for positive and negative reviews about teaching quality, infrastructure, pedagogical support, extracurricular activities, school atmosphere, and administrative management.