Maison de la France brings a taste of French skiing to Dubai

Set up in 1987 as an Economic Interest Group (EIG) with over 1300 members, under the supervision of the French Ministry of Tourism, Maison de la France is here to promote France as a tourist destination. Dubai is the 34th office to open worldwide.

To celebrate this official opening, Maison de la France organized two workshops to promote the French Rhone-Alps region and its skiing resorts to UAE residents and UAE based tour operators.

The first workshop took place in Abu Dhabi on the 30th October at Le Royal Meridien and the second in Dubai on the 1st November at the Kempinski Hotel (Mall of the Emirates).

The Rhone-Alps Regional Tourist Board and its tourism partners attended to provide information about the region's gastronomy, open air activities, heritage and lifestyle, as well as to share the pleasures and spirit of French skiing.

Amongst the tourism partners of the Rhone-Alps region there was: Courchevel Tourisme, Lyon Tourist Board, Megeve Tourist Board, Hotel Annapurna 5* & Partners, Hôtel La Sivolière*****, Hotel Le Kilimandjaro & Partners, Hotel Le Lana****, Hotel Le Saint Joseph****, Hotels Les Fermes de Marie**** et La Cour des Loges**** of the Compagnie des Hotels de Montagne, S3V (Skilifts and Ropeways of the Three Valleys), accompanied by Rail Europe and Air France.

Following the Dubai workshop, the tour operators present were invited to have lunch at the Hotel Kempinski (Mall of the Emirates) under the high patronage of Mr Patrice Paoli, Ambassador of France to the United Arab Emirates, and enjoy a magnificent view over Ski Dubai.

The luncheon was attended by Mr Pascal Visintainer, Director of Marketing of Maison de la France in Paris, Mr Pascal Lepetre, Regional Director Middle-East of Maison de la France; Mr Marc Bechet, Director of the Rhone-Alps Regional Tourist Board and the tourism partners of the Rhone-Alps region, as well as Mr Eric Breche, Director of l'Ecole du Ski Francais (ESF) 1550 of Courchevel and Mr Olivier Raimbault, Director of ESF Aime-La Plagne.