If expert tourist offices of a destination, accommodation and specialized travel agencies (Initiations Voyages, Dakae, Culture Contact, Parcours et Voyages) or more generalists (Carrefour Voyages, Fram, TUI, etc.) have concocted a rich program for visitors, the Mahana salon has identified some good reasons to go on vacation. The European Ministry of Foreign Affairs will reassure visitors with personalized help on all the precautions to take before leaving for the various destinations, to escape with peace of mind.
CANADA
Discovery Trains offers an exceptional 15-day train cruise in Canada. For the first time, a French-speaking cruise in Canada allows you to discover this continental country in the best conditions. Passengers cross the country from East to West, from Toronto to Vancouver aboard the comfortable luxury train Le Canadien, and discover the natural parks and the Rocky Mountains.
DIRECTION THE COUNTRY OF UNCLE SAM
The United States Tourist Office will be present at the Mahana show along with the Tourist Offices of Colorado, the Great American West (North Dakota, South Dakota, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming), Philadelphia, Travel South USA (Alabama , Arkansas, North Carolina, South Carolina, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Tennessee, West Virginia) as well as Voyage en Français, its partner which offers guided tours in French in several American cities. Bringing together these destination experts will allow visitors to plan their trip to the USA and learn more about the destination.
Among the events highlighted on their stand: the world premiere of Disney100: The Exhibition which celebrates 100 years of Walt Disney, at the Franklin Institute (Philadelphia) from February 18 until the fall of 2023.
CHINA
Locked down for nearly three years, China is reopening its borders to travellers. Since January 8, 2023, Běijīng, the Great Wall, the Army of Terracotta Soldiers, Shànghǎi, the Guǎngxī and the Lí River, the Gānsù and the Silk Road, Hong Kong and Macau, the Yúnnán, the Shānxī, the Huángshān and the villages of the Huīzhōu, the Yangtze River, the Sìchuān… all the essentials of the Middle Kingdom are once again accessible. The China National Tourism Office will be present at the show to help visitors organize their visit with complete peace of mind.
THAILAND
In East Asia, in Thailand, place for responsible and sustainable tourism. Beyond the most famous and famous tourist places, Thailand is full of splendor and real authenticity to discover.
A pioneer in the field of eco-tourism, Thailand has been conducting a responsible and sustainable national tourism development policy for more than two decades.
In this context, one of the small islands of the province of Trat, located in the eastern region of the country Ko Mak (Ko means island), testifies to admirable efforts on the part of the local population, and visitors sensitive to the responsible tourism. Everything is thought of: seafood from local fishing, through “green behavior” to picking vegetables in a solar vegetable garden.
Gourmets will be delighted to learn that Thailand has been collaborating since 2021 with the Michelin Guide, which awards the Green Star, a guarantee of eco-responsible gastronomy. Alongside the PRU restaurant in Phuket, which retains its distinction for the third consecutive year, the establishments Haoma, an Indian restaurant in Bangkok, and Jampa, which defends contemporary European cuisine, in Phuket, have joined the restricted circle of starred restaurants.
The Tourist Office of Thailand will be accompanied by its partner Asia, a travel agency specializing in organized tours, tailor-made trips, seaside stays and flights in Asia and the Pacific. Authenticity, lifestyle and originality are the key values of a successful trip, according to Asia.
This is why the agency is always on the lookout for new routes, new addresses and other crossroads.
SEYCHELLES
Of granite or coral origin, the Seychelles lend themselves to several forms of travel. The islands with fine sandy beaches are dotted with guesthouses with friendly charm, hotels nestled under the palms of the coconut palms, villas made of natural materials and with impeccable comfort.
A stay in the archipelago guarantees breathtaking nature. Covered with abundant tropical vegetation, the mountains are ideal for hiking, in a nature populated by terns, black parrots and turtles.
The Seychelles are home to several national parks and nature reserves. In Mahé, the highest point of the archipelago is protected by the Morne Seychellois National Park. In Praslin, the Vallée de Mai National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This unique site presents a forest of cocos de mer, also called cocofesses. The palms of these coconut palms with rounded nuts shade several rare plants and many birds. In La Digue, the Veuve Noire reserve is home to an endemic bird species called “black widow” in lush tropical vegetation.
THE SULTANATE OF OMAN
Oman is one of the most diverse countries in the Middle East. Emotika Voyages, specialist in tailor-made trips, offers a circuit with driver to discover this mountainous region surrounded by sand and water. Between the Sea of Sand and the Indian Ocean, this hidden treasure has a culture of exchanges dating back to the 3rd millennium BC. Oman has always been at the crossroads of maritime routes between Asia, South Africa, East and Europe. Attached to a prestigious past in a preserved natural environment, Oman has managed to preserve its identity, its values and its way of life. If the north of the country (Moussandam, Bâtinah) is close to the culture of the Gulf countries, the port cities (Sour, Mirbat) bear the imprint of trade with East Africa, as evidenced by the kumma, the Zanzibar embroidered hats. There are also Indian influences in the food and clothing, particularly in Muscat and in the houses on the Mouttrah cornice.
The humid climate of Dhofar (the South) close to Yemen, favors the cultivation of coconut groves, banana plantations and tropical fruits found in the local cuisine.
SPAIN
Surprisingly, Gran Canaria resembles a continent where centuries of history and natural spaces of great beauty mingle. Just browse the 21 towns and villages on the island to dive into a miniature world. In constant evolution, the island changes appearance at the bend of a path. Endless beaches, dunes, ravines, nature here is as amazing as it is spectacular.
It also has all the advantages of a tourist destination, both from the point of view of land and sea activities as well-being spots, accommodation or cultural sites to visit.
PORTUGAL
If Portugal is part of the Top 5 of the countries most requested by the inhabitants of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, it is a city which remains unknown and which deserves some attention. Braga, an ancient Roman city founded in the year 16 BC is nicknamed the City of Archbishops, or Portuguese Rome, due to its large number of churches. Considered the religious center of Portugal, Braga is a fascinating city that combines a glorious history with many tourist attractions.
Besides the churches, Braga is a vibrant city full of students in its universities and winner of the best European destination 2021, considered the youngest city in Portugal. In recent years, universities and the quality of contemporary architecture have modernized it and allowed it to become a Unesco creative city.
IRELAND WITH ROUTES AND JOURNEYS
Ballybunion, Waterville, Kilarney, Old Head, Fota Island, Cork, these are names that make you sing…and project golf lovers to a selection of the most beautiful Links and Parklands in southern Ireland.
Parcours et voyages, voted best French Golf Tour Operator, offers an 8-day self-drive on the mythical courses of the South of Ireland. Enthusiasts will also discover the region of West Cork, known throughout the world, for its wild beaches and its jagged peninsulas, as well as for its islands where one speaks Irish Gaelic, like Cape Clear and Sherkin.
THALACAP
Thalacap Camargue is located in the heart of the Camargue Regional Natural Park, by the sea in Saintes-Maries-de-la-mer. Specialist in thalassotherapy for more than 26 years, Thalacap Camargue uses the natural therapeutic virtues of the sea for its treatments and bases its treatment method on essential principles.
