Tourism | CDG sets example of promoting culture at airports

Charles de Gaulle airport

In one of the sessions of the Global Tourism Economy Forum, which ended on sunday, a representative from Charles de Gaulle (CDG) Airport highlighted the importance of showcasing the region’s culture in its airport, as it is both the first and last impression of the visitors.
Laure Baume, executive vice president and chief customer officer of Groupe ADP
Paris, recalled that CDG as the second largest airport in Europe hosts some 60 million passengers heading to more than 300 destinations globally.
Thus, Baume highlighted that all airports in France aim to offer passengers a condensed version of the ‘Parisian feel’ in terms of arts, culture and shopping.
According to her, the very best of Paris is showcased through partnerships with Parisian museums to disclose pieces of French heritage and by inviting the young French generation of artists to showcase their creativeness in all terminals.
CDG Airport currently has a museum in terminal two, with free entry for passengers.
“In this museum, you have new exhibitions every six months […] while waiting for your plane you can enjoy the very best of French culture,” she remarked.
As part of the Parisian identity and culture, Baume said that all French fashion brands are located in all the terminals of the largest airport in Paris, adding that they have also opened restaurants, run by Michelin-starred chefs, for passengers to have a taste of French cuisine.
“We wanted to be a place where passengers can really experience the taste of Parisian culture through exhibition, fashion and gastronomy,” she concluded. LV

33 million tourists by 2025

MGTO aims to reach its goal of at least 33 million tourists visiting Macau by 2025, with 15 percent of them traveling from abroad. Thus, to move forward and achieve this goal, the region is looking at other tourist destinations for suggestions. Helena de Senna Fernandes, head of MGTO said: “In the future we have to draw on the successful experiences of other foreign tourist destinations. This kind of forum [GTEF] will bring Macau more opportunities.”