In order to highlight the important role of this segment for the tourism industry and its advantages, as well as responding to a need, IFTM Top Resa is launching its first coach operator village in partnership with the National Passenger Transport Federation (FNTV).
Coach tourism plays an essential role in national and regional tourism and supports urban and territorial development. The success of the “Macron coaches” created in 2015, also enabled around 9 million people to travel via this mode of transport in 2018.
Coach transport generates wealth and development in the regions it serves and is vital to the tourism economy and hotels, restaurants, shops, cultural and tourism venues, convention centres, and more.
Coaches offer a green alternative to cars. One coach represents 30 less cars on the road.Transporting 1 person 100 kilometres by coach requires 0.6 to 0.9 litres of fuel, compared to 2.6 litres by TGV train, 5.9 litres by diesel-fuelled car and 6.6 litres by aeroplane (source: Smart Move). According to FNTV figures, taking the car is three times more expensive than coach travel, while the train is twice as expensive.
First coach operator village in partnership with the FNTV
The FNTV and IFTM have designed this village as a networking space for travel agencies, tour operators, coach operators and group travel professionals in France and Europe within Destination France.
Exhibitors will have individual 3 m2 desks arranged around a central island perfect for organising meetings within a professional, friendly and comfortable setting.
The area will be topped off with display coaches to present their environmental benefits and service quality on site.
The FNTV and IFTM are planning a varied programme:
- Tours of different types of coach, including environmentally-friendly, luxury, etc. versions.
- Conference coach at Destination France.
- Conference sessions dedicated to issues and developments in the sector.
- Village cocktails every day.
What exhibitors say
Hervé Guillemain – Director of Voyages Aiglons: “We love the FNTV’s initiative and the creation of a dedicated village to give more visibility to our transporter and tour operator activity.Having simply been visitors at MAP Pro, we will now be exhibitors at IFTM Top Resa, and hope that this will enable us to develop our contacts on European markets.”
Patrick Groussin – Director of Groussin Autocars: “We will be exhibiting at the coach operator village this year, because we want to raise our profile internationally.With around 20% of visitors from outside France, IFTM offers an opportunity for our company to present our services, and particularly our 36-seat VIP vehicle.The fact that this new village is close to Destination France, which is obviously a draw for foreign visitors, is key for us.”
*Group travel: more than ten people travelling for at least two days
The National Passenger Transport Federation (FNTV) is a trade association for coach transport companies. It represents over 1000 companies from very small businesses to large corporations across France and its members own 2/3 of the French coach fleet (45,000 out of 72,000). Coaches are safe, comfortable, environmentally-friendly and affordable, and they work well in combination with other modes of transport. www.fntv.fr
