Meet Hervé Goujon, Chairman of the incoming agency Native Destinations

Why open your agency in the American West?

Hervé Goujon - In 1996, after spending two years with an agency in Louisiana, I took the plunge and set up Native Destinations. We're based in Santa Fe (New Mexico) and work mainly in the western states, but also in Mexico. All this for a French clientele of 95 %. The region matches my attraction for wide open spaces, a dry climate, mountain and desert landscapes, Indian, cowboy and Hispanic cultures... A total change of scenery for a Frenchman from the Paris region!

What are Arizona's strengths, given that you're also working in other western states?

H. G. - The immensity of the grandiose landscapes typical of the American West, numerous national parks (including the Grand Canyon), some very beautiful roads that we use when organising car rallies in Ford Mustangs, as well as over 300 days of sunshine a year, easy air access to Phoenix and very good resorts and hotels for incentives.

What type of group is the State best suited to?

H. G. - For groups looking for an adventure in a wild but controlled and accessible environment, for an introduction to the beauty of the great national parks and to the cultures of the West, that of the Indians or the cowboys, a profession that is still very much alive in this country.

What themes are you developing?

H. G. - More than a theme, we offer a taste of Arizona and the West in all its splendour. The road is the omnipresent element, because what better way to discover the great landscapes of the West than at the wheel of a Mustang convertible? Visits and activities in the parks are also a must, because the American West is first and foremost about experiencing nature at its wildest. What's more, we have exclusive agreements with several properties in Arizona to offer intimate stays on ranches around Phoenix or the Grand Canyon... It's the real American adventure, authentic and always a change of scenery.

Which activities work best?

H. G. - Car rallies, helicopter or private plane flights over the Grand Canyon and Monument Valley, as well as ranch activities such as horse riding, pistol shooting and quad biking.

What are the possibilities for off-site events?

H. G. - Arizona is all about the great outdoors, so we have a wide range of outdoor opportunities. It could be a day out with the cowboys in the Grand Canyon on a private ranch, an evening organised around a campfire with a country-western singer and a big barbecue, a golf-themed prize-giving ceremony on a course near Phoenix with driving range and orchestra, or an event in a western town with a mock hanging, settling of scores, music - all in a good-natured, relaxed atmosphere that is much appreciated by the French.