France Launches Drive to Attract 2012 Olympic Visitors

Various districts of Northern France are going head-to-head with the UK in a bid to attract tourists seeking accommodation for the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

With the majority of hotels and other accommodation providers in London and the South East already fully booked for the duration of the Games, authorities in the Cote d’Opale region are looking to take advantage of their close proximity to the UK.

There are 70000 beds available in the Cote d’Opale area, in hotels, campsites and holiday cottages. Some hotels are priced at €62 per night, compared to €110 in London and the South East.

Tourists who decide to stay in the area will be close to Eurostar connections in Calais and Lille, meaning they are a maximum of 90 minutes from the centre of London. The journey from Calais is just 60 minutes.

A network of greeters will be on hand, to meet visitors at local airports, seaports and train stations, and show them the sights of Cote d’Opale.

Notable tourist attractions in the region include the 800-year-old Cathedrale Notre-Dame de Saint Omer; Nausicaa, The French National Sea Experience centre; the Battle of Dunkerque Museum; and more than 100 miles of beaches.

There are also five casinos, six golf courses, and 17 shopping centres, as well as 30 sporting centres with facilities for various sports including gymnastics, horse riding, football and basketball.

Cote d’Opale Developpement was established in 2005 by four economic development agencies, covering the areas of Boulogne sur Mer, Calais, Dunkerque and Saint Omer.

The organisation’s main objective to promote investment opportunities on the Cote d’Opale. It also provides free customized assistance to companies and investors looking to locate or expand their business into the region.

The organisation will be exhibiting at the World Travel Market event at ExCeL London from November 7^th to 10^th. Sharing the stand will be the tourism boards of Boulogne sur mer, Calais, Dunkerque, Saint-Omer, Pas-de-Calais Tourism and Boulogne and le boulonnais region tourism.

Representatives will be available at Stand EM1300 for more information.

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