Home > Sustainable tourism > In Normandy the greeters are mobilizing
   
On May 18, the Greeters du Havre mobilized with the Office Le Havre-Etretat Tourisme on the occasion of the visit to Le Havre of Michael Dodds, director of the Regional Tourism Committee and the Normandy Attractivity Agency. They took the opportunity to welcome six counterparts from Caen and the Orne department.
   

What is the tourism strategy for the Normandy region?

The theme of this meeting had everything to please the Greeters. Michael Dodds explained Normandy’s strategy to develop its reputation and development (tourism, economy, student) through the involvement of local Ambassadors and around the world. Invited to join this network of carriers of the good word, the Greeters present naturally signed.

The director of Normandy Attractiveness, of Anglo-Irish descent, a fervent Francophile, also unveiled the operation of the new free public application “Secrets normands”. Intended for visitors and lovers of our region, it allows everyone to reference their favourites and advice on sites, initiatives, events, tips, local producers, original walks… The objective is that a user can, thanks to geolocation, know at a glance all that he can experience the same day or in the next 24 hours. Everyone, Greeters or not, is invited to enrich this real secret trunk.

According to you, why do greeters grow in Normandy?

Normandy is a region open to the world where visitors are warmly welcomed.
The premises have a very good knowledge of the city, its history, development issues and future projects that will build the Normandy of tomorrow. They are proud of it and wish to share with others their attachment to the city.

What do they contribute to the tourist attractiveness of the territory?

Greeters are involved in the construction of the current tourist landscape. It is an added value. They meet the expectations of some travellers who, today, are in search of authenticity, of encounters with the locals. They promote the development of slow tourism, one of the foundations of which is the human relationship.
They are fine connoisseurs of our beautiful region, true ambassadors. That’s why we invite them to reveal their secrets on our Secrets Normands platform to share them with visitors. Secrets Normands is an innovative Internet stay that allows visitors geolocated in Normandy to discover all the tourist offers in real time as well as the Secrets: good tips, advice and recommendations proposed by the Normans. From now on, it is the greeters’ turn to add, online, the nuggets of their territories!

What role can greeter destinations play in the CRT strategy?

Secrets Normands is the ideal platform to share with our visitors. The objective of the Normandy Regional Tourism Committee is to mobilize the Normans around this project so that they can become full prescribers of tourism in the Region. It is therefore logical to invite greeters to take ownership of this unifying tool.
In its sustainable development approach, the CRT Normandie emphasizes a qualitative “slow tourism” rather than the promotion of a “mass tourism”, an approach to consumption that has been acclaimed by the new generations. Greeters therefore have a role to play in promoting Normandy’s tourist offer.

Michael Dodds

Michael Dodds is the new director of the Normandy Regional Tourism Committee (CRT).
Originally from across the Channel, Michael Dodds worked for several years as a consultant specialising in tourism. His last experience as a consultant was the realization of the regional tourism development plan for Normandy.
Michael Dodds is also the General Manager of the Normandy Attractiveness Agency, created on 23 June 2017.
After a lunch on the beach, the 15 Greeters from Le Havre accompanied Michael Dodds, his family and their colleagues from the Norman networks on a love at first sight through Le Havre.

Greeters in Normandy…

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