France Launches Arabic Website

The national French tourism development agency launched France.fr—a dedicated Arabic website for France as a tourist destination.

The website aims to boost France’s appeal as a touristic destination, improving its ranking as a top travel destination for the Arab traveler,” explained Karim Mekachera, Regional Director of Atout France in the Middle East. “France.fr is an ambitious project set to become a digital reference and an influencing tool across the world."

 

 

The key features of the website include:

1. Before you Set off: A section entirely dedicated to travel information including customs and visa, transportation, accommodation, geography, climate and other useful information.

 

 

2. Things to do: This section features all the attractions accessible for tourists, from nature escapes and mountain hikes to romantic tours and family cruises.

 

 

3. Places to go: This section of the site creates awareness about the multitude of locations that can be visited, from 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: This page is dedicated to sharing news about the festivals, exhibitions, concerts and major events taking place all over France. It serves as a wonderful tool for visitors to check on activities and schedule them during their trip.

 

 

5. An interactive map: The website includes an interactive map that is fully responsive to give a rich experience across the platform.

 

 

“We are pleased to offer a local language domain for all Arabic speaking travelers who can now benefit from a localized platform providing more relevant content to help them prepare for a great trip,” Mekachera added.

 

 

To further enhance the user experience, the website developers will be gathering and studying consumers' feedback, allowing them to continuously improve and update the site. New content that is specific to the market, including shopping, halal food and luxury accommodations will be available.

 

 

In 2017, 167,000 Lebanese tourists visited France. “France is one of the favorite destinations for the Lebanese. The proximity between our two countries and our close historical and cultural ties are key factors that encourage Lebanese travelers to visit France,” said Bruno Foucher, France's Ambassador to Lebanon.

 

With the goal of welcoming 100 million tourists to France by 2020, the Arabic version of France.fr has been developed to boost the number of visitors from the Middle East.