With over 160 participating travel agents and an audience of 400 on the day of the final, this ITFM Top Resa flagship event hosted by Sophie Jovillard is becoming a huge hit!
A great opportunity for travel agents to challenge themselves
“This adventure was a wonderful experience that I hope all travel agents get a chance to take part in,” says Arnaud Levet, winner of the 2018 edition. “Speaking alone with a mic in front of a jury of professionals in the packed Arena of the ITFM Top Resa show, without questions and answers like you usually get with customers, is a unique experience and a real challenge that helped boost my confidence. From a professional standpoint, the unconditional support of my colleagues, seeing the joy of my agency manager and pride of my company President, Yves Verdié, were the greatest rewards of all. Being THE best travel agent in France has also given me greater visibility with our suppliers and helped expand my professional network. An article that appeared in the Midi Libre, which covers the region where my agency is located even helped us attract new customers. In other words, the win had an impact well beyond IFTM Top Resa.”
- Spring. Each year before the summer, 40 travel agents from across France meet in Paris for the semi-final of the Travel Agents Cup. The day is filled with qualifying events, meetings with professionals and fun networking opportunities, although there is some tension as contestants seek to take top prize!
- Autumn. The highly anticipated final takes place at IFTM Top Resa. Ten finalists meet head to head in front of an audience and the panel of judges, using all their knowledge, energy and imagination to convince them that they are THE best travel agent in France. It’s an exciting contest where contestants to there best to win over the entire Arena!
The competition is open to travel agents, travel agency managers and directors from across mainland France, travel network groups, independent agencies and leisure network agencies.
A 4-sage competition: key dates
- From 5 March to 9 April 2019, 12 noon: entrants register via an online selection form about IFTM Top Resa and tourism in general.
- 15 April: announcement of the 40 travel agents selected for the semi-final.
- 27 May: semi-final of the TAC at Marina de Bercy in Paris. A selection day when the 40 candidates are given 4 minutes to defend one of the scenarios picked at random on the same day. It also provides them with the opportunity to meet partners. Ten contestants are selected at the end of the day and their names are announced at the final at IFTM Top Resa.
- • 3 October at 12 noon: Final of the Travel Agents Cup in the Arena. The 10 candidates pick one of the scenarios received beforehand and give a 3-minute presentation in front of the jury and audience.
On the day of the final, five prizes are awarded at the trade show:
- 3 awards handed out by the panel of judges for the first, second, and third “Best Travel Agent in France”.
- 1 prize for “Audience Favourite”.
- 1 “Random draw” prize awarded to one of the contestants present.
Panel of judges
- Sophie Jovillard, Jury Chairperson and host of Échappées Belles on France 5.
- Well-known personalities from IFTM TOP RESA, AIR FRANCE, AVIS, SNCF, PROMO AGV, PARIS CITY VISION, AMADEUS.
With events that bring people together like the Start-up Contest, which recognises innovative tourism companies, the Hackathon, where teams of engineers and developers go head to head in a 24-hour non-stop competition at the trade show to come up with creative solutions, the Travel Agents Cup, which awards the best travel agent in France, and the Travel Agents Cup Junior, for the best up-and-coming agents selling France as a destination, the goal of IFTM Top Resa is to showcase expertise from across the industry.
- Tuesday 1 October: Start-Up Contest.
- Wednesday 2 October, (24 hours, non-stop): Hackathon.
- Thursday 3 October: Travel Agents Cup.
- Friday 4 October: Travel Agents Cup Junior.
Registration for the Travel Agents Cup:
http://bit.ly/Inscription_TAC_IFTM2019
To find out more or see the 2018 winners, photos and videos, go to
https://www.iftm.fr/fr-fr/programme/evenements.html#Travel_Agents_Cup
