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Article by Dominique BOISSAY of the journal DECISIONS
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In responding to its name, the "tourist industries and techniques show", the La Grande-Motte show also needs to act as a shop window - and as a centre for discussion - for technical developments within what is a flagship sector of the economy. With a full morning given over to the development of e-tourism, we were at the heart of the matter.
This development has not escaped the notice of the Regional Tourist Board, represented by its Director Christophe Tosi, which has been equipped with highly effective tools to create an attractive web site that allows browsers to download campsite brochures.
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| Training in the use of the Internet is incidentally a priority for the Region, and there is a proposal to organise training days for campsite managers. "We need to get rid of all our worries about the Internet", said Jacques Blanc, illustrating his words with a few interesting figures: "It took the telephone 74 years to reach the figure of 50 million users worldwide. It took television 13 years and the Internet only 5." |
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If Internet is the second largest method for marketing tourist products in Languedoc-Roussillon, campsite owners are behind their colleagues in the estate agencies, tourist residential complexes and hotels. Only 40% of them sell via the Internet, compared to 70%, 62% and 65% for the three other forms of accommodation, according to the results of a detailed survey into the matter.
73% of Languedoc-Roussillon accommodators are satisfied with Internet sales and 95% think that the prospects for developing this method of marketing are very positive. Internet sales specialists highlighted the interest of the tourist trade and of users of tourism in this new method of communication, for which tourism is in fact its main activity in the field of sales.
Worldwide tourist organisations predict 20 to 25% of bookings via Internet within 5 years. Christophe Tosi, director of the Languedoc-Roussillon Regional Tourist Board, spoke of the success of the CRT site, which received 400,000 visitors in 2002; the pages that are most read are in fact those concerning accommodation and activities. Jean-Claude Bousquet, regional chairman of the economic and social committee, also spoke of the importance of this development over the coming years. |
