decision-maker
Anna Christina Kubitschek, granddaughter of President Kubitschek and President of the Kubitschek Memorial,...
How do you see your role in Brasilia as the granddaughter of a visionary president? Anna Christina Kubitschek - First of all, I'm honoured to be the granddaughter of this great man, which is why I feel a moral obligation to preserve what he created, and to forge a state of mind that will enable Brazil to continue...
3 Questions to Antoine Pasquet, CEO of Multiburo
What are the differences between a business centre and a hotel when it comes to meetings? First of all, the welcome isn't the same. With us, customers find themselves in the professional environment of an office building and not mixed up with the demands of a leisure clientele, as is inevitably the case in a...
Bruno Matheu Executive Vice President, Marketing, Revenue Management and Programmes, Air France...
Who is your new Premium Voyageur class aimed at? Bruno Matheu - Initially, our aim was to upgrade economy class passengers who wanted more comfort but couldn't afford the price of business class. These customers are not only leisure passengers, but also, in our minds,...
3 Questions to Pierre Matuchet, Deputy Managing Director of VSC Technologies
You were appointed last March. What does your job involve? My job is to lead the modernisation of Voyages-sncf.com, which has experienced incredible growth since its creation in 2000. We have high quality standards for the site, and we need to be able to welcome many more Internet users than those who are actually connected. Voyages-sncf.com has recorded...
3 Questions to Philippe Piat, Managing Director of Appart'City
How is the Appart'City network expanding? Appart'City is a chain of 38 residences offering more than 7,000 fully-equipped rental units with à la carte hotel services. With a new range of furnishings and decor, twelve residences will open in 2009 in France, as well as a residence in Arlon, Belgium. In...
Managing Director of Accor Thalassa
What is the raison d'être of Accor Thalassa today? Martine Granier - We are the 'well-being' division of the Accor group. Our core business remains thalassotherapy, although we also have a 'thermal spa' business in resorts such as Dax, Saint-Lary and Aix-les-Bains. We have fourteen sites in France and we look after...
3 Questions to Christophe Lelou, Corsair Sales Director
What are the main areas of development for your network? We are developing our network around six major areas: the French-speaking and Spanish-speaking Caribbean, Canada and the Indian Ocean. While the Caribbean remains a predominantly tourist destination, North America is much more in line with a business dynamic, with services to Montreal, Quebec...
3 Questions to Gilles Talec, Chief Executive Officer of United Airlines...
What's new at United Airlines for business travellers? United Airlines is the only American airline to continue to distinguish between first class and business class. We have launched a new business class product that equips our aircraft between Paris and Chicago, on non-stop flights, with sleeper seats that can be fully horizontal. Travellers can...
Michel Rochet: Director of the Ademe (French Environment and Energy Management...
Responding to companies' concerns about eco-responsibility is an essential mission for Ademe, which is developing its information and assessment tools with this in mind. What does Ademe offer companies? Michel Rochet: We have a very wide range of services. It is aimed particularly at SMEs, because they have a greater need for advice. Our offer includes...
3 Questions to Dr Sarkko Ala-Heikkila, Director of Finnair France
What's new at Finnair for business travellers? Finnair is stepping up its service to Tokyo, with flights between 13 June and 30 September 2009. Flights to Tokyo will be operated with our A 340s. On board, the new lie-flat seats, which recline to 180°, provide a comfortable...
Jérôme Drevon-Barreaux President Europe, ACTE (Association of Corporate Travel Executives)
How do travel managers view the current economic climate? Jérôme Drevon-Barreaux: Like everyone else, we believe that the current crisis has affected and will continue to affect business travel, but that it has also created opportunities. General management is seizing on the situation to accelerate cost-cutting around the questions "Who...
Jean-Cyril Spinetta: Chairman of Air France-KLM
Faced with persistently high oil prices, what are the cost areas where savings can now be made? Jean-Cyril Spinetta: Our cost-cutting plan is based on four levers: optimising processes and productivity gains, modernising the fleet to save on fuel and maintenance, purchasing and...
Carlo Olejniczak, Director of Disneyland Resort Paris-Business Solutions, Director of Sales...
Disneyland Resort Paris bills itself as "Europe's leading business tourism destination". What are your criteria for this? Carlo Olejniczak: We are the only resort to offer such a wide range of accommodation and event facilities on the same site, with 7,500 rooms - 8,000 including partner hotels - two convention centres, more than...
Jacques Alonso, Spokesman for the Oneworld alliance in France, American sales director and...
Japan Airlines, Malev, Royal Jordanian: you added three new members in 2007. What criteria do you use to select new partners? Jacques Alonso: All you have to do is look at the world map. Look at our network: in Asia we have JAL in the centre, then Cathay Pacific and its subsidiary Dragonair to the south, and Qantas a little further afield....
Didier Le Calvez, Executive Vice President, Europe and North America,...
In 2009, you announced the "eighth Parisian palace" with the opening of the Shangri-La Paris Palais d'Iéna. Has the legend of the Parisian palace come to an end? Didier Le Calvez : On the contrary, it's more vibrant than it was ten years ago. When I took over the management of the Four Seasons George V in 1999, there wasn't a single...
Eric Lepleux, Managing Director of Marketing, Hotels and Brands...
As part of the reorganisation of the brands within the Accor group, you are relaunching the Pullman brand. What is the concept behind this chain? Eric Lepleux: Pullman is an innovative, top-of-the-range approach to the hotel business, aimed at travellers, particularly business travellers, who are looking for connectivity, but also...
3 Questions to Nicolas Godard , founder of Club Evènements et...
You set up CETA in October 2006. What is the nature of this club? The main objective is to pool the functions of decision-maker and prescriber in business tourism, by bringing together members who are genuinely invested with this mission within their company, whatever their job title. With the exception of...
Olivier de Lavalette, Managing Director for Southern Europe, Middle East and Africa at...
How fast is Regus continuing to expand internationally? Olivier de Lavalette: We ended the first half of 2007 with a 36 % year-on-year increase in turnover and a 32.6 % increase in the number of workstations. Our growth is in line with the globalisation of business and the increased need for...
Patricia Tartour: President of the Maison de la Chine
How would you define the originality of La Maison de la Chine compared with a "traditional" agency? Patricia Tartour : First and foremost, we are ultra-specialised. The term 'specialist' is a bit overused in the world of tourism. For La Maison de la Chine, it's a reality: we only work with people who are highly specialised in...
Stefanos Mavrocordatos Director of the Hellenic Tourist Office in France
Why visit Athens today? Stefanos Mavrocordatos - Those who know Athens as it was before the Olympic Games will find a brand new city, just as lively as ever, but more serene. As for the others, they will simply be discovering a beautiful city whose cultural riches are known to all. How is the tourism market faring...
