140 MORE TRAVEL AGENTS BECOME REUNION’S ‘TOURISM AMBASSADORS’
(Posted 12th July 2014)
During the month of June did Reunion Tourism host over 140 travel agents, drawn from such key markets as China, South Africa, Britain and France, to showcase the attractions of the island to them, aimed to improve sales.
The latest measures to make the acquisition of Visa easier for Chinese and Indian visitors is thought to make a major impact and drive numbers from these two fast growing markets up in leaps and bounds.
IRT, the island’s tourism office, named the following objectives for the visit of the travel professionals:
- improve the professional knowledge of the territory and its tourism attractions, activities, restaurants, lodging facilities, and culture);
- strengthen the identity and positioning of the island in its primary and secondary markets;
- meet and interact with professionals from the international tourism industry
- maintain and advance relationships with international professionals;
- promote the destination in an international context.
(Pictures courtesy of Ile de la Reunion Tourisme)
The fam trips allowed all participants to explore and experience the island’s attractions, learning about the production of rum, the growing and processing of vanilla, saw the sugar plantations and enjoyed the rich blend of Creole and French cuisine while sampling the various types of accommodation available, from seaside resorts to smaller hotels inland. Tourism attractions shown to the travel agents included whale and dolphin watching, seeing the white water rivers where rafting is possible, the steep canyons in the interior while overflying the island by helicopter and of course the mandatory visit to the Piton de la Fournaise, an active volcano which is presently in eruption mode. Scenic drives along the beaches and into the interior of the island too were part of the programme each group was able to enjoy.
The island’s tourism office and private sector, home carrier Air Austral included, will continue to offer travel agents in key source markets the opportunity to visit the island as their mainstream marketing through attending of sales shows and tourism trade fairs of course continues to make waves.
For more details on the island’s attractions visit www.reunion.fr
