Monaco, one of Europe’s most popular destinations for the Middle East traveller, has further enriched its market coverage by appointing Mezze Associates to be its representative office based in Dubai and covering the UAE region.
With a regional roadshow also planned in November MICHEL BOUQUIER president of the Monaco Government Tourist and Convention Authority in Monaco spoke to SHALU CHANDRAN.
What kind of tourist arrivals were witnessed in Monaco last year? How much did the Middle East region contribute to this?
Five per cent of total arrivals in Monaco are associated to the Middle East. In 2009 we saw a drop from the Middle East business which is due to a number of reasons, especially economical and indeed scares such as swine flu. Now that we have opened an office in the region, we expect flows to be quite different this year and to drive in high numbers.
As a market which attracts high-yield travellers, have you seen a change in travelling trends?
Yes definitely. We find now that the ultra-rich individuals (URI) are much more selective in their destinations and we are very happy to say that Monaco as a destination is in their top 10. However, competition with other destinations remains high.
Which are your target markets and how are you tapping these?
Our target market is ultra-rich individuals and the discerning traveller and we are targeting these through our local presence and a range of sales and marketing initiatives, for example road shows and private label initiatives which target URIs and give them a list of benefits.We also have run certain products for the travel trade with a whole host of value-added services for their clients in Passport Monaco.
Is there a tourism product for the more ‘cost-conscious’ travellers in Monaco?
Yes we have a Novotel and Beach Plaza hotel which have packages that cater for cost-conscious travellers. We feel it’s extremely important to spread the range of visitors to Monaco beyond that of the high net worth and therefore are opening up a focus on Mice and indeed other segments. We also have a lot of cruise lines coming in.
What kind of market presence does Monaco hold among Middle Eastern travellers?
It is very well known among certain individuals especially in Saudi Arabia, however awareness needs to be built up elsewhere and we need to demonstrate all that Monaco has to offer. Naturally the top hotels and Michelin-star restaurants add to the opulence Monaco has to offer.
With a new office here now, what is your focus for 2010?
Our focus is naturally to gain a deeper understanding and penetration in the region, with a key focus to get the high-end visitors into the destination. We understand the region is very unique and it’s important that we gain a full understanding from our partners here on how to better cater for our discerning visitors. Having a local presence will allow us to build the right strategy and approach and increase traffic to the destination.
What are your offerings for agents and tour operators here?
We have Passport Monaco offering a range of benefits. Currently we aim to build our partnerships in the trade. The Middle East is all about relationships and the travel trade and tour operators play a vital role to support visitors to our destination. Our hotels also have several packages and work with the trade in the region.