On June 17, 2021, RATP Dev, a subsidiary of the RATP Group, relaunched its famous Paris tourist buses under a new name: TootBus Paris, in order to standardize the brand internationally.
The fleet has also been renewed to offer more environmentally-friendly buses, with natural gas or electric vehicles.
Tourism is slowly recovering, but for the time being, incoming is still complicated.
The aim over the coming months is therefore to attract more French customers than ever before.
How did the launch of the new TootBus Paris brand go after a 16-month hiatus?
Meet Paola Urso-Casolari, Director of Sales, Marketing and Customer Experience
1 – Can you tell us a little about yourself and the mission of TootBus Paris?
What is the history of Tootbus Paris?
I’m truly passionate about the world of leisure and business tourism in Paris, in which I’ve been evolving for over 15 years, first in the luxury hotel business, then in events management (at Reed Exhibitions) via magnificent department stores, cruises on the Seine and grand cabarets.
I simply adore Paris, and the fact that I can help, in my small way, to delight our guests when they discover our beautiful capital, is my greatest satisfaction!
Nearly a year ago, I joined RATP Dev, a subsidiary of the RATP Group, to support the launch of Tootbus Paris, our brand-new identity, based on two key themes:
On the one hand, the desire to embody a new positioning centered on the city.
We want to be more than just a “carrier”, we want to be a player in the tourism and entertainment industry, dedicated to creating unforgettable experiences for our guests.
Secondly, the resumption of our business under new conditions:
- the advanced digitization of our services, to simplify and enhance the experience of our Visitors, with, for example, the availability of our audio commentaries as podcasts on our brand-new app
- restructuring our service offering to better meet the expectations of a more local, family-oriented clientele.
It’s an “open-air museum” experience that we offer on board our double-decker buses, fully aligned with the health precautions linked to the current context.
Our new identity also comes with a promise to our Guests: “let the city surprise you”.
For international tourists and locals alike, discovering or rediscovering the city is an experience in itself.
For many, their first glimpse of Paris will be from one of our vehicles.
Our mission is to create memories and a bond with the city, which can be experienced anew each time we visit, whether on our Hop-on Hop-off, By Night, Kids Tour, Vintage Tour or other tours.
Finally, Tootbus also embodies the identity of a singular company, proud of its difference from other players in the sector, of its historic local roots, and of its concrete commitment to more sustainable tourism.
In fact, we’re the first company to offer 100% panoramic buses powered by ultra-low-emission energies.
Our visitors appreciate the comfort of our modern natural gas buses or our electric buses, which are very quiet, a real plus in the on-board experience.
3 – Can you tell us about the latest changes to the brand (launch of a new name, renewal of the fleet, customized offer for Parisians…)?
We have adapted our service offering to better meet the expectations of our various Visitors.
We’ve worked on creating themed tours such as the Kids Tour, dedicated to families and much appreciated by customers in the Paris region looking for fun and educational activities, and we also have a Night Tour that lets you discover the magic of the City of Light in all its splendor at sunset. These experiences are a big hit!
We’ve also completely reworked our on-board commentaries, which are more authentic and up to date, with Paris told by Parisians. They’ve been a great success, and the feedback from our Guests has been very positive!
We have a new app that allows our Guests to listen to our comments at any time, geolocate our buses in Paris, and will soon offer itineraries for walking tours of the city.
4 – How is the recovery in tourism going for TootBus Paris?
A gradual recovery is underway.
We have seen a steady increase in visitor numbers over the summer.
We’re still a long way from the 2019 figures, but this season is much better than last.
We’re optimistic because the appetite for our destination is still very strong, and there’s a demand out there that makes us confident for the future.
5 – Why did you decide to use Travel-Insight to manage your social networks?
I’d already had the pleasure of working with Celia and Stanislas in the past, and I particularly appreciate their professionalism, freshness and enthusiasm in everything they undertake with their teams, so it was only natural that we should think of Travel-Insight to accompany us on this mission.
6 – What message would you like to convey to French tourism professionals and travelers?
In this particular context, we must do everything we can to ensure that hospitality takes on its full meaning.
More than ever, our collective commitment around hospitality, innovation, the spirit of service, but also our environment, is paramount, especially in preparing to host major events in Paris like the Rugby World Cup and of course the Olympic Games in 2024!
To the French travelers I would say we are waiting for them with open arms in Paris, but also in the other cities around the world where we are present, especially in London or Brussels that Tootbus will operate from next November, stay tuned! 😊
7 – A final word?
This is just the beginning – the best is yet to come!
