French tour-operating faces strategic choices

To continue to grow, two approaches have become available to French touroperators. On the one hand, diehard industrialisation based on the model of the great English and German competitors, with its corollary of acquisitions, integrations, mass destinations… On the other, the exploration of “market niches,” or a hyperspecialisation on new destinations (Mali, Nepal, Iran…) or very specific clientele (trips for music lovers, pilgrims, people with disabilities, students, singles, single women, homosexuals or other circuits with precise athletic or cultural vocations…). This is the famous sector segmentation, which some designate today as “THE” main trend. In addition niches are not the reserved hunting ground for small TOs. Major tour-operators see there a means for completing their supply, capturing new publics that are discarded by “mass market”. “Nouvelles Frontières has long developed offers based on hiking, diving and trekking,” reminds Christian Rochette. “Thalasso holidays also work very well. They correspond to a real need rather than a simple trend. Many people would like to start using these, but don’t know what centre to chose when they are faced with the profusion of the supply. This is where TOs have a real role to play”. Another niche that is exploding: the over 55 group known as “seniors” or “goldies”. “ All this generation resulting from the baby boom has free time, is in good health and has comfortable revenues,” explains Christian Rochette. “Some travel several times a year and a good share subscribe to organised tours, which are therefore seeing good growth.”On the French market, they partially ran up against local cultural behaviour that was unbending with respect to their usual models. But their knowledge of local particularities is getting increasingly refined, while at the same moment these specifics tend to blur. “In ten years, the physionomy of the French market will be...