On November 10, a tourism mission from France to the Burgundy-Franche-Comté region visited Japan and held a seminar and a joint interview for travel magazines in Tokyo. This was the first time for a tourism mission from the region to travel outside of France after the new Corona pandemic.
Marie-Guite Dufet, Chairman of the Regional Council of Burgundy-Franche-Comté, said, “We have taken the lead in promoting Japan,” stressing the importance of the relationship with Japan. She expressed her commitment to developing the Japanese market in cooperation with the tourism industry as well as the business community.
The Burgundy-Franche-Comté region is located in northeastern France and consists of three destinations: Burgundy, the Jura Mountains, and the Vosges Mountains. The region has eight World Heritage sites, 38 Michelin-starred restaurants, and six wine roads, and is renowned for its gastronomy.
Mr. Dufet appealed, “We are convinced that this is a region that perfectly suits the tastes of the Japanese people and can fulfill their wishes. The theme of the tour was “gastronomy,” and he appealed to the visitors to enjoy the specialties such as Burgundy and Jura wines, Comté cheese, Bresse chicken, and mustard, as well as the winery and cheese factory, and the hotel “Relais Bernard Loiseau” where they can taste the gastronomy inherited from the late Bernard Loiseau, the master of French cuisine. The hotel “Relais Bernard Loiseau”, where visitors can enjoy the gastronomy inherited from the late Bernard Loiseau, a master of French cuisine, and other attractions.
He also explained that there are a total of 1,350 km of cycling and green routes, and 20,000 km of trekking routes. We want people to enjoy hiking, skiing, cycling, and other activities that allow them to relax and enjoy nature throughout the year,” he said. Japanese people like spacious nature, and the Burgundy-Franche-Comté region is the best place for them to enjoy such activities.
Sophie Ollier-Doma, Director of the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté Regional Tourism Office, then spoke of Japan as one of the most important markets in Asia. Japanese people have been visiting us year-round for a long time, and after Corona, we wanted to come to Japan first to show them what we have to offer,” she said.
He said that the number of Japanese visitors in 2019 was 16,000, and before Corona, the number was gradually increasing, especially among repeat visitors. He explained that he plans to continue working to attract repeat visitors, saying, “At first it will be day trips from Paris, but those who like our region will stay overnight, and then they will enjoy the activities. He also expressed his intention to work with travel agencies to increase the number of products that visit the region, with a view to increasing demand for language study abroad programs.
In addition, Ms. Mayumi Masuda, public relations manager of the French Tourism Development Agency, gave a tour of some of the region’s most famous sights. She also introduced World Heritage sites such as the Basilica of Sainte-Madeleine in Vesleys, the Fontenay Abbey, the Royal Saltworks of Al Quai Sounain, and the Citadel of Besançon, as well as the gastronomic delights to be enjoyed in the region.
Gastronomic spots where visitors can enjoy the cuisine inherited from Bernard Loiseau include the hotel Relais Bernard Loiseau and restaurants operated by the group, and the opening of a bistro, Loiseau du Temps, in the town of Besançon in 2023.
Dijon, which flourished as the capital of the Duchy of Burgundy, is “the gateway to the Gastronomic Valley Tourist Route,” he said, promoting the mustard-making experience, a tour of nearby wineries, and the “Dijon International Museum of Gastronomy and Wine,” which just opened in June 2022.
The museum is expected to attract 1 million visitors annually, and three international brand hotels are expected to open in the vicinity by the end of 2023.
As a way to enjoy wine, they propose wine tours along the Burgundy Wine Route, the Jura Wine Route, and the Grand Cru Route, where more than 350 wineries will accept tastings, and in addition to traveling by car, visitors can also walk, bike, or take a canal cruise. In addition, three “Wine and Climat Museums” are scheduled to open in the spring of 2023, in Beaune, Chablis, and Macon.
Masuda also introduced Dor, birthplace of biochemist and bacteriologist Louis Pasteur, Poligny, known for its famous Comte cheese from the Jura Mountains area, and the Comte Museum, which reopened in 2021.
In an interview, Mr. Doma explained that the Burgundy-Franche-Comté region is calling on its facilities not to raise accommodation rates as the Burgundy-Franche-Comté region is in the midst of a trend of rising accommodation prices due to high global prices. Currently, he said, there is almost no change in accommodation prices compared to 2019.
In addition, France will host the Rugby World Cup in 2023 and the Paris Olympics in the summer of 2024, and the company will work to ensure that accommodation rates do not rise in the event of such events. We will work to ensure that accommodation rates do not rise in response to the demand for these events,” said Mr. Moufarrige. We cannot force them to do so, but we will consult with the hotels about raising rates. Even if the price increases, it is expected to be lower than in Paris, where accommodation rates are expected to skyrocket.
Mr. Doma also promoted the accessibility of the Burgundy-Franche-Comté region. For example, it takes just over 1 hour and 30 minutes by TGV from Gare de Lyon in Paris to Dijon, and there are 5 to 6 direct TGV runs a day from Charles de Gaulle Airport. He stressed that “our region has an advantage in terms of security over the Paris suburbs,” and reiterated his intention to keep accommodation costs the same without raising prices in order to attract new customers for the event.
© Source travel watch
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