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New Delhi : Paris Convention & Visitors Bureau (PCVB) will promote "sophisticated" hi-end packages in Indian market to promote Paris as a MICE destination.
Revealing their future plans, Patricia Barthelemy, International Promotions Manager - Asia, Paris Convention and Visitors Bureau, said that the bureau will try to improve the service side to make the travel experience of Indian visitors to Paris seamless. Barthelemy was speaking on the sidelines of their fourth annual `Paris Event' road show organised in Delhi earlier this month. About 20 suppliers from Paris including leisure sites, hotels and convention centres, and tour operators participated in the road show which was also held in Mumbai.
Explaining Paris' credentials as a convention and exhibition destination, Barthelemy said that Paris has six lakh sqm of exhibition space and hosts numerous world congresses and exhibitions every year. She informed that Paris has opened new cultural sites and renovated existing ones since 2000. She further added that the city also offers a lot in terms of entertainment, shopping, open space, and gourmet experiences to business and other visitors. Barthelemy said that Paris Tourism has a special strategy in place for emerging markets like India, Brazil and Russia.
"Major chunk of Indian visitors consists of FITs. We are looking for greater number of sophisticated hi-end MICE and corporate travellers from the Indian market," stated Barthelemy. About two lakh Indians visited Paris in 2009, a fall of 10 per cent compared to previous year. "There was decrease in inbound from major markets last year. 2007 and 2008 were really good for Paris. There was a slight decline in 2009, but we are quite optimistic about 2010 and look forward to increase in inbound from emerging markets like India, Brazil and Russia," informed Barthelemy. She further added, "We follow the market trends in India very carefully and work closely with our Indian partners in the travel trade both in India and Paris. We have an action plan ready for the India market for the next one year."
In the hospitality sector, Paris has launched a new hotel classification system in 2009. "We now have a new category of 5-Star hotels. This is in tune with the international system of classification," stated Barthelemy. On the gourmet front, Barthelemy said that there are around 500 Indian restaurants in Paris and its suburbs put together providing a lot of options for Indian travellers.
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