WITH the launch of Emirates new flight from Lyon, the airline’s third French gateway, on December 5, Arab guests have a new destination that beckons them.
A city that boasts of a fifth century Romanesque-Gothic style Lyon Cathedral and the UNESCO World Heritage site, the Croix-Rousse district juxtaposed with the modernism of the Tony Garnier Hall, Lyon offers a wonderful mix of new and old architectural heritage.
With the launch of the new Emirates flight, OnlyLyon, launched in 2007 by Lyon’s key institutional and economic actors is looking to promote this destination in the Middle East.
Lionel Flasseur manager of OnlyLyon says, “The new services will provide a wonderful opportunity for Lyon to welcome guests from the region and beyond; given Emirates’ excellent network in Asia.
“Also, our proximity to Geneva, South of France and easy access to Paris via train make us an excellent choice for visitors from the region.”
Besides its rich heritage the city is also striving to build its status as a city of trade and its importance as a business-travel destination. The basis for this remarkable growth: easy access to the destination, of course, but also the city’s diverse range of venues on offer, ranking it second place in terms of exhibition surface area in France, right behind Paris, and in 25th place worldwide.
“Guests can find all the best you can find in France – from shopping to gastronomy to history,” added Flasseur.
“According to our data we are expecting over 200,000 passengers in terms of traffic on the newly launched Dubai-Lyon flight. We expect there to be a right balance between business and leisure guests since we are not a seasonal destination,” he added.
Lyon is also holds several tourism events in the city including Film Festivals, Nuits Sonores Electronic Music Festival, ballet and opera performances and the popular Festival of Lights which attracted four million tourists last year. The spectacle of the entire city bathing in light is popular with tourists.
Lyon is also known as the culinary capital of France with several Michelin star restaurants and is also home to two of the best wine producing regions in France, the Cotes du Rhônes and Beaujolais.
“We all our offerings and with Emirates opening new avenues for tourist visitors, we expect Lyon to be the next trendy destination within France for the global audience,” added Flasseur.