Page 2 - ExploreFrance

A word from the editor

France has entered an unprecedented period of hosting important international sporting events.
From the Alpine World Ski Championships in Courchevel Méribel, which took place in early 2023,
to the Rugby World Cup and the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, French destinations are,
and will be, the stage for major sporting performances and a host of festive and convivial events.

Naturally, by virtue of the positive impact they are going to have, these events constitute a magnificent
opportunity for the country. They are a symbol of unity and openness to the world, and a powerful
driver of change and innovation in multiple domains : taking action on sustainability, supporting
training and jobs, respecting and protecting the environment, promoting inclusivity.
On the tourism front, they are an opportunity to enhance both France’s attractiveness as a
destination and the quality of the reception we give our guests, to promote the savoir-faire of
the country’s event management professionals and to optimize the economic boost generated
by inviting international visitors to extend their stay with us.

In conjunction with the organizing boards of these major events and the host regions,
Atout France is going to work to ensure that a lasting legacy is built. The Agency’s teams
will seek to ensure that the promotion of French excellence and of the appeal of the regions
involved, for tourists, are conveyed loud and clear to international audiences. These large-
scale events constitute a real invitation to go on a journey, to come and discover (or perhaps
rediscover) France, its cultural and natural legacy, to come and share its art de vivre and
gastronomical delights, and to create connections with the French people. In 2023, the Rugby
World Cup will bring 600,000 visitors to France and be broadcast in 209 countries, making it
a showcase for our lifestyle, our regions and our terroirs.

This eagerly anticipated event will also enable us to bring customers from more distant parts of
the world back to the country too, as the fervour for hotel bookings attests. Atout France is also
going to offer key players in French tourism special resources enabling them to improve visitors’
experience while they are over there.

We are overjoyed at the idea of building a lasting legacy, of hosting the world,
and of sharing France, our creativity, our audaciousness ; in short, our French flair!

CAROLINE LEBOUCHER
CEO OF ATOUT FRANCE

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