Welcome to Poitiers and its beautiful surrounding villages. Situated in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, the capital of Poitiers is home to a wide range of emblematic sites that tell the story of French history as you stroll from palace to cathedral to ramparts. The medieval city of Chauvigny, the tales and legends of Lusignan, Saint-Benoit Abbey and the famous Futuroscope are all within easy reach. Here we are, immersed between the treasures of the past and the modern world.
The Grand Poitiers Tourist Office orchestrates the tourism policy of the Urban Community (40 communes) of Grand Poitiers. Its main missions are economic development, consulting, communication, territorial promotion and welcoming visitors to this destination with its rich, high-quality, well-preserved heritage.
How to promote a region through press relations?
Today we meet Bénédicte Breuls, Director of OTC Grand Poitiers.
1- Could you briefly introduce yourself and Grand Poitiers’ mission?
Belgian by birth, French at heart, I joined the Grand Poitiers Tourist Office in July 2021, attracted by the destination’s delicious mix of temporalities, a cultural aura combined with a magnificent natural environment.
One of the main missions of the Grand Poitiers Tourist Office is to develop the destination’s reputation and reveal all the nuggets of the region. Of course, there’s the Futuroscope, but there’s much more: the destination abounds in other undeniable assets, including heritage, culture and nature, just 1h15 by train from Paris.
2- What are your main lines of communication?
Grand Poitiers is a destination where you can dream big and experience great things.
With us, if you stay just one night? you’ll regret it, because there’s so much to explore here, you’ll want to stay more than one night!
First of all, the city of Poitiers, with its immensely rich history, then the Futuroscope for scientific thrills and reflections. You can also explore the many treasures yet to be discovered in this region, which deserves to be better known.
For sports enthusiasts and contemplative types alike, nature also plays a major role in the art of living at Grand Poitiers.
3- Who are your current and future targets?
Our initial targets are the residents of Grand Poitiers and the Vienne department, who use the destination all year round.
Local people, couples, families, residents of New Aquitaine and neighboring regions. For day, weekend and short-break getaways in the great outdoors.
Urban Ile-de-France customers, couples and families, for short stays and weekends
Then there are our other priority markets: Spain, where families love Futuroscope, and where we work together to get them to stay and visit our heritage. Belgium and Holland, lovers of wide-open spaces and gastronomy.
The Germans have a keen interest in history, and the English in the history of our region with Eleanor of Aquitaine, the emblematic figure of Poitiers.
4- Why did you choose to work with Travel-Insight for PR management?
We had to develop our reputation, and this was achieved through press relations.
We wanted to work with an agency that would accept the challenge of raising the destination’s profile.
5 – What message would you like to convey to tourism professionals?
For the tourism professional, it would be a good idea to introduce them to the destination in a way that is different from the great classics, and their customers here would be pleasantly surprised by the richness and dynamism of the region.
6 – A final word?
Come and discover a land that will amaze you!
Let yourself be carried away on a journey through time, as past, present and future merge here.
