The Savoie Mont Blanc agency revealed the main lines of its new strategy for the 2021/2022 winter season during a press conference in Paris on Wednesday 22 September with the presence of the various tourist offices of the territory.
On the occasion of the press conference for the launch of the 2021/2022 winter season, the Savoie Mont Blanc Agency unveiled the main lines of its new marketing strategy. Michaël Ruysschart, Managing Director of the Savoie Mont Blanc Agency, Vincent Rolland, Member of Parliament for Savoie and Co-President of Savoie Mont Blanc Tourisme, Christelle Ferriere, Marketing Director of the Savoie Mont Blanc Agency and Muriel Della Mea, Media Manager of the Savoie Mont Blanc Agency, took the floor.
Savoie Mont Blanc first of all wanted to reaffirm its status as a leader in the ski industry, with three of its ski resorts in the world's top 10, namely La Plagne, Les Arcs and Val Thorens-Orelle. A position that is not denied, with 73% of French people saying that they would like to come to Savoie Mont Blanc and discover one of the 112 resorts in the destination, mainly to practice alpine skiing but also snowboarding. After a blank season in 2020/2021, or rather a black winter as Vincent Rolland pointed out, the Agency expects a much better attendance this season.
In view of the barometer that the Agency has shared, the destination has reason to be optimistic about the coming season. 2.5 out of 10 French people say they are definitely going on holiday this winter, an increase of 0.5% compared to last year, and this figure rises to 3 out of 10 when we focus on those going on winter sports. Also, 52% of respondents say they are very eager to go on holiday this winter and 47% of them choose Savoie Mont Blanc as their destination. The figures for foreign tourists are even more promising. According to the Agency, winter sports enthusiasts from Belgium, Great Britain and the Netherlands are in the starting blocks, with between 4 and 5 travellers certainly wanting to come to the mountains this winter. The health pass is not a brake since more than 80% of people of each nationality have one.
To convince the undecided, Savoie Mont Blanc is investing massively in different communication channels such as television, posters in Lyon and Paris as well as social networks. The inspiration for this campaign is "La belle vie", a meaningful promise after a year in which our daily lives have been disrupted by the health crisis. The unique landscapes of the destination and the gentle way of life in the mountains are highlighted in this new campaign which will be visible from 18 October. On social networks, several hashtags will be launched to accompany the launch of the winter campaign to give it greater visibility but also to encourage their community to take part in this action. The two main hashtags are
- This winter it's open.
- This winter I'm skiing
The agency also decided in July to open a Snapchat account and a TikTok account in order to reach the young target group, which is one of its priorities. Savoie Mont Blanc wants to bring young people back to the mountains, so it is adapting its way of communicating, and in particular its channels. Snapchat and TikTok are two social networks that are very popular among 15-25 year olds, and tourist destinations are just beginning to show interest in them. Actions on the ground are also carried out to attract this clientele, such as the freestyle tour which highlights various disciplines appreciated and practised by young people, such as skateboarding and bmx. Emphasis is also placed on holiday camps in order to pass on the passion for skiing and other winter sports from a very young age and then convert them into regulars of the ski resorts.
The FIS Alpine World Ski Championships to be held in Courchevel and Méribel in 2023 were also mentioned, with a preview of the promotional spot that promises a thrilling and emotional event. The sustainable aspect was also one of the subjects discussed, as it is one of the priorities of the Demain Savoie Mont Blanc initiative, a time of reflection consisting of several workshops and commissions with local actors. The result is the creation of the Montagne Durable collective in order to preserve the rich natural heritage of Savoie Mont Blanc, which is threatened by various factors such as global warming.
