Dream big, live slow – #ExploreFrance campaign 2023

“Dream big, live slow”: Atout France and its partners sign a 2023 campaign, an ode to sustainable tourism and to letting go.

Atout France, the 13 Regional Tourism Committees, Attractiveness Agencies, Tourism Agencies in mainland France and around 20 private companies in the industry are pleased to announce the launch of the 2023 #ExploreFrance campaign.

After two campaigns (2021 and 2022) intended to revitalise the flow of European tourists to France following the pandemic, the challenge of the 2023 campaign is to anchor the sustainable positioning of the destination. Based on the results of a study by Atout France on customer sensitivity to sustainable tourism*, the collective is directing a marketing campaign to adequately fit the new aspirations of travellers, advocating a slower, more sustainable and more authentic style of tourism.

“Dream big, live slow” is an invitation to dare to dream big and to make the best trips in France come true!

Download the full press release here
Download the #ExploreFrance 2023 press kit

With income from international tourists approaching 58 billion euros, France sees tourism as having been very positive in 2022. This result can be explained in particular by the return of European and North American customers. While economic and social pressures remain strong in 2023, travel intentions – coupled with occupancy forecasts in the various tourist accommodation – predict a good performance for the entire sector in the coming months, barring a major geopolitical incident.

In order to encourage this dynamic, for the third consecutive year the collective of the #ExploreFrance campaign is uniting, with the aim of surprising visitors through the promotion of an unexpected France.

“Dream big, live slow” / “Rêver en grand, prendre le temps”, a new slogan serving more sustainable tourism

France makes people dream and wins hands down in the collective imagination. It offers true freedom, in the most beautiful of settings. Magnificent landscapes and world-class heritage sites offer an infinite diversity of atmospheres, including walks in forests, through fine sand dunes, along mountain paths or through charming village alleyways… The 2023 campaign will promote little-known sites in order to encourage the spread of visitor flows throughout the territory, while inviting people to pursue gentle, environmentally friendly ways of exploring.

While the 2023 #ExploreFrance campaign is an ode to dreaming big, its slogan also invites us to take our time, to delve into the places visited and to become more involved in an in-depth discovery of the terroirs, crafts, villages and local food, taking the time to experience special moments.

The mechanism will place particular emphasis on the best that spring and autumn have to offer, thus participating in the collective efforts towards seasonal adjustment.

The campaign will start at the beginning of April on 10 European markets: Germany, Belgium, the UK, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Italy, Spain, Denmark, Sweden and Austria. It will also be relayed, for the very first time, in the US and Canada, markets that are currently recording strong growth and still have the advantage of significant growth potential.

According to Olivia Grégoire, Minister for Small and Medium Enterprises, Trade, Crafts and Tourism: “Sustainable tourism is not just a trend, it is a major development. And France must take its turn. Since the end of the pandemic, tourist flows have tended to diversify. Tourist habits are changing and tourism must change with them if France is to continue to be a land of excellence for tourists. This campaign is an opportunity to promote a new form of tourism, one that is more responsible, more respectful of our biodiversity and more conducive to contemplation and discovery.”

Campaign mechanism

Aimed at the general public, the #ExploreFrance 2023 campaign is structured around three components, which can be operated simultaneously.

Part 1 will take the form of an image campaign aimed at providing overall visibility to France as a destination. It will inspire tourists by making new proposals for places to stay and experiences in line with their expectations. This first part will be launched at the beginning of April. It will revolve around a €1m media plan worth co-invested by Atout France and TripAdvisor, spread across the 10 European markets.

Part 2 will allow Regional Tourism Committees / Attractiveness Agencies / Tourism Agencies to capitalise on Part 1 should they wish to do so, by supplementing it with additional communication, specifically promoting their destination on the identified markets. This approach will be open to sub-regional organisations that will join and support this dynamic.

Finally, Part 3, carried out in partnership with private companies including those in transport and distribution, will aim to trigger accommodation bookings by promoting products ready for sale.

For these three parts, priority will be given to digital media – so purchases of space and influence marketing campaigns on social networks will be carried out in the targeted markets. In addition, the Atout France teams will carry out important awareness-raising work for distribution companies (tour operators, travel agencies) and the media in their respective markets. As per last year, press events will be organised during European Sustainable Development Week to promote French sustainable tourism on the 10 markets.

The collective mobilisation around this co-constructed recovery campaign enables the pooling of human and financial resources. An overall amount of around €10m should thus be co-invested by the State (via Atout France), the Regions via the Regional Tourism Committees / Attractiveness Agencies / Tourism Agencies and their intra-regional partners, as well as by companies in the sector on the European market – with nearly €800,000 on the North American markets.

In short: what’s new in the 2023 campaign:

A slogan aimed at anchoring France’s position in terms of sustainable tourism, fed by the recent study on the sensitivity to sustainable development of French, British and German customers* carried out by Atout France

Extra highlighting of the themes of nature and slow tourism, art de vivre and food, culture and heritage and destination brands within the 13 metropolitan French regions.

A European campaign that extends to the North American markets.