Atout France, the national French tourism development agency, under the patronage of the French Embassy in Qatar, is proud to announce the launch of France.fr, a dedicated website for Arabic speakers considering France as a travel destination.
With the goal of welcoming 100 million tourists to France by 2020, the Arabic version of the website has been developed to increase interest from potential travellers in the region.
France.fr is fully adapted with the traveller from the Middle East in mind. The content created takes into consideration cultural nuances and traditions. Social media platforms are also available in Arabic to inspire and encourage followers to share their experiences. User-friendly and optimised for mobile consumption, the new website carries content and information on tourism in France, hotels, restaurants, things to do, culture and heritage, events and museums.
Key features of the website include:
1. Before You Set Off خطط لسفرك : A section entirely dedicated to travel information including customs and visa details, transportation, accommodation, geography, climate and many more practical pieces of information.
2. Things To Do الأنشطة : Viewers of the site can learn about the outstanding cultural attractions accessible for visits, such as taking hikes amongst the peaks, romantic tours or family cruises.
3. Places To Go الوجهات : The section of the site creates awareness of the vast numbers of locations that can be visited, including the Alpes-Mont Blanc to Normandy, Provence to the Loire Valley, and from Paris to Tahiti. The site has information on more than 30 destinations that are ready to be discovered.
4. Happening Now in France الآن في فرنسا : A page dedicated to sharing news on festivals, exhibitions, concerts and major events everywhere in France. It showcases how there’s always something going on in the country. This page is great for visitors to check at it lists down activities and visitors can schedule their trip around some of the more interesting events.
5. An Interactive Map: The website also includes a fully responsive, interactive map.
An average of 30,000 Qataris visit France every year. The number of Qataris visiting Paris has grown by 30% in 2018, reaching more than 18,000 Schengen visas delivered for France. In addition, almost 14,200 visas have been approved for non-Qatari residents last year.
Ambassador of France to Qatar, HE Franck Gellet, emphasised the latest services launched over the past year in Qatar to provide more comfort to travellers. He said that together with their partner, CAPAGO MENA, they are dedicated to make the process of visa delivery to France easier.
New services, such as the France-Visas Portal in English and Arabic, VIP lounge at CAPAGO centre in Al Jaidah Square, delivery of passports directly to your house or work, are there to facilitate the procedures. A mobile biometric system to collect applicants’ fingerprints from their office, home or travel agency have been launched for the first time in Qatar.’
To further enhance user experience, developers of the website will be gathering and studying consumer feedback to improve and update the website. Updates will also be released including new content specific to the market, including shopping, halal food, luxury accommodation and more.
Visit atout-france.fr for more information about the French tourism agency, Atout France.
