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📅 The 5th edition of the Grand Live du Voyage d'Affaires, organized by CDS in partnership with IFTM, is set for January 16, 2025. It is an anniversary event celebrating its establishment as a key live event for the Business Travel sector, fostering exchange and sharing among industry decision-makers, experts, and players. The event will address market evolution and offer high-value content for professionals. Topics will include buyer expectations, business hotel barometer, consolidation, TMCs, train competition, RSE, business travel payment costs, and consultant perspectives for 2025.

🎄 Hôtel de Crillon hosts its Christmas Market for the third consecutive year on December 7-8, 2024. Open to the public in its historic Salons, the event showcases a curated selection of brands reflecting French Art de Vivre. Visitors can explore wellness, fashion, accessories, and children’s sections, with elegant, high-quality French-crafted items ideal for Christmas gifts. Chef Pâtissier Matthieu Carlin presents his Christmas collection, featuring exquisite and delicious creations.

💰 On a key Monday, the CFTC validated the signing of three national interprofessional agreements concerning Unemployment Insurance, senior employment, and social dialogue. This occurred almost exactly one year after the CFTC signed the last unemployment insurance agreement, now endorsing not just one but three ANIs. Amidst a one-month express negotiation, to prevent the government from potentially tightening unemployment regulations, the CFTC secured a significant achievement for senior employment: the option for progressive retirement starting at 60 instead of 62. Additionally, employers must provide a written and motivated justification in case of refusal.

🏨 Ginto Hôtels expands with acquisition of 4-star, 53-room boutique hotel Pilgrim in Paris' Latin Quarter (75005), featuring a rooftop, spa, hammam, pool, fitness room, cocktail bar, and patio. Awarded at the 10th "Prix Paris Shop & Design" in October. The second Parisian and 6th overall property for Ginto, Pilgrim aims for a €4.5M turnover in its first year. Founders, Brice de Puymorin, Emmanuelle Pochat, and Julien Kiefer, partner with the Arnaud family for the first time.

📝 SEO local sur Google présente des pièges tels que ne pas identifier son marché et concurrents, choisir un mauvais nom d'entreprise, méconnaître l'algorithme Google, négliger les critères de référencement Google comme la sélection des catégories dans Google Business Profile, et sous-estimer les avis clients. Une gestion distincte des établissements, l'attention portée aux photos d'établissement, le suivi des positions SERP, la conception de sites web centrée sur les clients, l'identification des mots-clés pertinents, l'optimisation SEO et la maintenance régulière du site sont cruciaux. Il est important de se tenir informé des évolutions du SEO local et de ne pas se reposer uniquement sur Google Business Profile. Guest Suite offre une plateforme pour gérer ces aspects.

🏨 Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI) Middle East & Africa (MEA) and Sommet Education have forged a partnership to enhance professional development, thought leadership, and educational excellence in the hospitality sector. The collaboration aims to benefit hospitality professionals and students through various initiatives, setting industry standards for education, research, and experiential learning. Les Roches and Glion Institut de Hautes Études will join HSMAI MEA in roundtable discussions on hospitality trends, innovation, and strategic marketing, and co-create content via webinars, workshops, and seminars.

🧩 Clara Chappaz, French State Secretary for AI and Digital Affairs, aims to make France a leading AI nation by reinforcing research excellence through the DGRI and accelerating AI adoption in businesses with the DINUM and the General Directorate of Enterprises. A key objective is to support the national network of innovative young companies, maintaining faith in French Tech's innovation potential after concerns regarding the 2025 Finance Law project. Chappaz advocates for ethical, frugal, and inclusive AI, diverging from US competition. Initiatives include a digital awareness program for "hundreds of thousands of French" and #TechPourToutes to guide 10,000 young girls into tech. Chappaz will attend the AI summit in Paris on February 10-11, 2025.

💼 Tom Lerouge, an engineer with expertise in innovation and strategic development, has been confirmed by Groupe Ducasse Paris to lead the company towards future challenges. With a career that includes leadership roles internationally, he previously held strategic positions at Edeis, an engineering and infrastructure management group, from January 2017 to October 2024. Before Edeis, he gained experience in the aerospace industry as "Head of New Product Development" at Zodiac Aerospace from February 2016 to January 2017.

🏡 Airbnb, operating in over 29,000 French cities, launches a data portal for towns to access reliable information aiding in tourism and housing challenges. The portal provides aggregated data on host activity and local trends, including the number of overnight stays, economic impact, and types of accommodations. The initiative follows feedback from collaborating local officials and will see regular updates.

💳 On November 14, 2024, the European Commission designated Booking.com as a "gatekeeper" under the Digital Markets Act (DMA), allowing hotels to offer better rates on their own websites. Booking will eliminate parity rate clauses, grant real-time data access to hotels, and prevent abuse of dominant position, with potential fines up to 10% or 20% of global turnover for violations. This change ends rate parity obligations throughout Europe, promoting direct booking strategies, potentially reducing prices for travelers, and levelling the playing field for competing platforms.