infotourisme.com

[Wilko]

Hi

We have been approached by France Itinaires/ infotourisme.com with a view to putting our CdeH on their site. They are rather pricey, 400-1000 euros per annum. The attractive thing about them is that they have a deal/affiliation with the French Tourist Board. they say that they are strong on getting bookings in the low season. Has anyone tried these people. Any info much appreciated.

rgds

Wilko

[Miki]

Any more info ? The actual website URL is best. We get umpteen new forms of advertsing sent to us by email or post every year. Every one saying they can do this and that. I have found that most of these kind of sites are really aimed at the hotel trade.

Personally, I would only pay that kind of money to Gîtes de France.

[Quillan]

I don't know if other areas are the same but our tourist office has a list of all B&B's in the area. It's website links directly to Gite de France specifically in our area. We get quite a few bookings from our tourist office and its usually done via the phone with the client in the office. We also pay a small sum (45 Euros) per year with a 10% discount to GDF and Clevacances members to be in a book they produce which they send or give out to anyone that asks.

I agree with Miki, it's alot of money to spend especially as (in my opinion) the tourist office should be doing it for you in the first place.

There seems to be an abundance of companies recently wanting to sell you advertising space on the web. The best thing to do is to pretend you are a potential guest and do a search for your type of accomodation in your area and see who comes up. The ones that are in the first couple of pages are usually the ones worth dealing with. Theres no point in spending money on a website that comes out on the 22nd page as hardly anyone looks further that 4 pages in to search (as a general rule of thumb).

[Cassis]

For that sort of money I'm guessing they offer more than a listing on a couple of sites - is there a guide book or something thrown in?  You could list with a lot of decent portals (search as Quillan suggests) for that sort of dosh.

Unlike Quillan's, Alençon tourist office is not very good for us - it sticks us away in a forgotten corner of their website and brochure because we are not in the area defined as 'Pays d'Alençon', despite being only 8km from Alençon.  Some guests who had forgotten our address went to the TO and asked for directions to us - the TO assistant said they had never heard of us.  So we've dropped them for 2007 and I'll splash out with the 40€ on something else.

[Miki]

[quote]  So we've dropped them for 2007 and I'll splash out with the 40€ on something else.

[/quote]

Mmmm, McDo, chips and a coke....4 times....seems better value dunnit.............[:)]

[Cassis]

Precisely my thoughts.  [:D]

[Wilko]

Hi guys

Thanks for your input, in fact the matter sorted itself. I found a fellow owner whom I knew slightly and called him up. he told me that they had received zilch from them in the past 5 months and would not be renewing his sub. he was aslo somewhat miffed as they had put him in the wrong geographical section, which is why I didn't spot him initially. We are both in the Luberon and his entry was in the Alpilles.

I wish i could be included by my local tourist board, and for 40 euros would be. In fact my local tourist board require the princely sum of 350 euros for inclusion, enough said, does buy me a few more burghers and beers tho' Miki !!

Happy Christmas to you all !

Wilko