MONTREAL — More than 180 travel agents attended the recent Air France & Paris webinar, organized by Atout France.

For anyone who wasn’t able to catch the live event, Atout France has a link to watch it on replay here.

Here’s a look at the webinar’s highlights…

France’s reopening

Mélanie Paul-Hus, Director of Atout France Canada, reviewed the new rules for Canadians entering France, which came into effect on June 9.

Canada is classified Orange in France’s system, which means that passengers coming from Canada are admitted to France on the condition that they are fully vaccinated and have a negative PCR or antigenic test result. The test must be performed between 48 and 72 hours before departure.

Non vaccinated passengers, outside French nationals, cannot enter France by air without compelling reasons.

“Restaurants can now welcome customers indoors, gyms are opening their doors and museum gauges are less restrictive. It is therefore possible to enjoy the most beautiful attractions of Paris while respecting the barriers,” said Paul-Hus.

To better manage events of more than 5,000 people, France has introduced a health pass to ensure that participants in large outdoor or indoor events only admit visitors who have been vaccinated or have negative screening results.

The reopening of France to foreign visitors is part of a global economic recovery effort following a comprehensive timeline.

Catherine Guillemart

Air France’s customer journey and summer flight program update

The webinar featured Air France’s latest flight safety video, plus news about the increased sanitary measures at Pearson Airport in Toronto.

Catherine Guillemart-Dias, Vice-President and General Manager Air France KLM Canada, announced the update of Canada’s flight program in July and August, including 21 weekly flights departing from Montreal-Trudeau (17 Air France and 4 KLM), 12 weekly flights departing Toronto Pearson (5 Air France and 7 KLM)and 12 weekly flights departing Vancouver (3 Air France and  5 KLM).

Noted Guillemart-Dias: “By granting flexibility that allows a full refund on all our tickets without having to justify the reason for the cancellation, and more recently, by receiving the highest honor in the APEX ranking for sanitary measures on board our flights, we offer peace of mind to our customers in the planning their trip and optimal travel conditions for their experience on board.”

Nathalie Bruel

Partner news

Maud Brunet, who recently joined the Atout France team in Canada as Operational Marketing Manager, took the stage to introduce the Paris and French partners for this webinar…

Eiffel Tower opens July 16 with enhanced customer experience

Nathalie Bruel, from the Société d’Exploitation de la Tour Eiffel (SETE), gave a comprehensive overview of the famous Iron Lady, one of the most visited monuments in the world. After an 8-month closure, the Parisian landmark will reopen to the public on July 16, with an improved customer experience. Travel agents can book admission in advance, as well as tables at the Jules Verne restaurant and Thierry Marx’s new brasserie. Many other services are now available to visitors and may be booked ahead by advisors.

Best Western France: An Unparalleled Offer

BWH Best Western is the largest private hotel chain in the world, and the implementation of a new health and customer experience protocol in the form of promises will allow consultants to choose the most appropriate establishment for their clients’ desires from among more than 300 properties in France alone, says the company’s Olivier Lautissier. Rewards and incentives are also available to the retail industry.

Paris, my love, at Galeries Lafayette Paris Haussmann

The famous Parisian department store reopened on May 19, after 107 days of closure. This is a reason to celebrate the French capital, says Galeries Lafayette’s Azileb Incerto, with the Paris Mon Amour exhibition that will take place in the windows of the Avenue Haussmann. Galeries Lafayette is also offering many personalized services, including Made in France Experiences (French know-how), the Personal Shopper (private salon and in-house advisor), and the refund of French taxes (VAT) for a minimum purchase of 100 euros.

On the Seine and the rivers of France with CroisiEurope

“Sailing on the rivers today opens the doors to French history and culture,” says CroisiEurope’s Michel Grimm. CroisiEurope, a French family-owned company based in Strasbourg, sails on the Seine from Paris to Honfleur, but also on the Rhine, the Rhone, the Gironde and the Loire. Recently, the company has also started offering barge tours for an intimate discovery of the canals of France. Among the advantages offered are special attention to service and gastronomy on board, as well as cultural excursions.

Travel connected with Bouygues Telecom

In addition to phone and Internet capability, My European SIM card from Bouygues Telecom offers helpful services such as a tourist guide designed with Atout France and discounts at participating merchants, says the company’s Arnaud Bommart. Travel agents receive a commission if their customers purchase this service.

Atout France recommends agents and travellers heading to France check the latest instructions on the France.fr website (COVID section), but also to refer to the following sources …

Embassy of France in Canada: https://ca.ambafrance.org/Reouverture-des-frontieres-francaises-aux-voyageurs-en-provenance-du-Canada-a

Canadian government website: https://voyage.gc.ca/

Air France (boarding protocols and documents): https://bit.ly/3gblYhY