Revealing a New Paris to experienced Chinese travel agents

Our visitors enjoyed a Seine cruise...	...learnt more about the Opera House...	...and sampled special French cuisine

February 2010: How to present Paris anew to managers of some of the largest and best-known travel agencies in Shanghai, so that they can include the city in their future programs as a group destination. That was the challenge facing French DMC expert Alcep Travel & Events. It was far from easy to show our guests fresh aspects of Paris when they know the city so well.

Background

Five managers from five of the largest and most influential travel agencies in Shanghai came to Alcep. Their goal was to find new creative ideas about Paris so that back home they could develop the MICE market (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions) for visitors to France. They were accompanied by a representative from ATOUT France China and a Chinese staff member from Air France Shanghai.

Advance planning

Each of the participants knew Paris well, so our challenge was to take their knowledge to a deeper level. We started by sending a list of questions to ATOUT France China to understand our clients' needs better: when did they come to Paris before, where did they visit, what their expectations were. Based on these inputs, plus our knowledge of Chinese ways, we prepared a detailed 4-day program in and around Paris.

Creative directions

Alcep destination management company prepared activities that Chinese tourist groups normally don't see in France. We took our guests for fun games at Pavillons de Bercy, visited Altitude 95 restaurant on the 1st floor of the Eiffel Tower, had a lunch cruise on the Seine, organized a guided visit to the Opera house, took them for a city tour in a 2CV, took in a French CanCan show at the Moulin Rouge, and much more. We also included visits to both French and Chinese restaurants. 

Alcep on the details

We paid a great deal of attention to service and arrangements, so that our group could maximize their short time in Paris. For example, since their visit included a weekend, we ensured that all venues planned for those days would be open. Our clients, as professionals in tourism, would be able to tell immediately if a tour program was well organized or not.

In summary

As a French DMC specialist, we succeeded in showing our clients some fresh aspects to a city that they thought they knew well. We gave them many new ideas to include in proposals to their own clients. Perhaps most importantly, we demonstrated that Alcep Travel & Events is one of the predominant Destination Management Companies in France - with particular understanding of the Chinese market.