For this second episode dedicated to our first year, I wanted to recount a significant turning point in the history ofInfosTourisme. Initially, I primarily intended to create a B2B media outlet for the tourism industry. Very quickly, I realized that publishing articles wouldn't be enough. Professionals needed information, of course, but also tools that could save them time, verify data, visualize the market, and help them make better decisions.
Summary
A B2B media outlet can no longer simply publish articles
When I launched InfosTourisme, my first instinct was obviously to publish. That's the heart of a media outlet: identifying important topics, verifying information, explaining them, and making them accessible to readers.
But as the first few months went by, one thing became clear. Tourism professionals aren't just looking to read more articles. They're primarily looking to work faster and more efficiently.
A travel agent doesn't always have the time to open fifteen websites to check the entry requirements for a destination. A tour operator may need to quickly identify a reliable local partner. A tourist office sometimes seeks to understand how to increase its visibility among professionals. A manager wants quick access to figures, trends, or a clear understanding of a market.
That's when I realized that InfosTourisme needed to evolve.
Our role could not be limited to simply reporting what happens in tourism. We also had to start building resources that could be directly used by those who make the sector thrive.
According to the media and digital press, new information consumption habits increasingly rely on rapid data access, personalization, direct search, and interactive formats. For a B2B tourism media outlet, this evolution is a game-changer: it's no longer enough to be read; you also have to become useful.
How we went from information to tools
I didn't decide one morning to create fourteen tools all at once. Most of them were born from a concrete need, a frustration, or a very simple question heard in the sector.
1. Start with a business problem, not a brilliant idea
The best tools weren't born out of a desire to be pretty. They were born out of a real problem. Where can you quickly find a DMC? How can you track the impact of a geopolitical crisis on tourism? How can you centralize useful data? How can you help agents find essential information about a destination?
Each time, the logic has been the same: if a professional is wasting time on a repetitive task, there may be a resource to be created.
2. Transforming scattered information into readable resources
In the tourism sector, a lot of information already exists. The problem is that it is often scattered, difficult to read, or poorly adapted to the daily practices of professionals.
Creating a tool doesn't necessarily mean inventing data that doesn't exist. Sometimes it's simply about making information more accessible, clearer, and quicker to use.
3. Think mobile, fast, and field-ready
A tourism professional doesn't always consult information under ideal conditions. They might be at a trade show, on a train, between appointments, in front of a client, or on the phone with a supplier.
Our tools must therefore be designed for quick, direct, and useful consultation. The goal is not to create complex interfaces, but to reduce the time between the question and the answer.
4. Link the tools to the articles
I don't see tools as separate elements of the media. On the contrary, they should enrich the editorial ecosystem.
An article can explain a trend. A map can make it visible. A how-to page can expand on a topic. A tool can help move from information to action.
It is this complementarity that interests me.
5. Accept that everything won't be perfect from the start
Some tools will evolve. Others will be improved. Some may even change form over time.
I take full responsibility for it.
I prefer to launch a useful first version, listen to feedback, correct, enrich and move forward rather than wait for months for a perfect tool that never sees the light of day.
6. Create sustainable assets for the media
A news article can be very useful, but its lifespan is often short. A tool, a map, or a helpful webpage can remain relevant much longer if it is maintained.
It's also a way to build the long-term value of InfosTourisme. We don't just want to accumulate articles. We want to develop resources that continue to serve professionals after their publication.
The 14 tools and maps created during this first year
Here are the fourteen tools and maps that best illustrate this evolution of InfosTourisme, from a news media outlet to a practical information platform for tourism professionals.
Live
Direct was born from a simple need: to track important information more quickly when it can have an immediate impact on the sector. In tourism, some announcements are not just news. They can affect operations, travelers, bookings, or business decisions.
The Geopolitical Radar of Tourism
The Geopolitical Radar was designed to help professionals more clearly track the impact of an international crisis on tourism. Tensions in the Middle East, flight disruptions, official guidelines, sensitive areas: the goal is to bring together information that would otherwise be scattered in a user-friendly interface.
The 2026 World Cup platform
The 2026 World Cup is not just a sporting event. It is also a major tourism event, with implications for transportation, accommodation, visitor flow, destinations, and travel planning. We have therefore created a dedicated platform to organize information surrounding this global event.
Bullshit alert
Bullshit Alert is probably one of the tools that best sums up our times. Information travels fast, inaccuracies too, and artificial intelligence can amplify some misleading content. This tool analyzes text, images, or URLs to help you take a step back and find ways to verify information.
Tourism Statistics
Tourism Stats addresses a very real frustration: tourism figures are plentiful, but often scattered. Public reports, studies, trends, market data, sector statistics: our ambition is to facilitate access to the data needed by professionals who need to understand, present, or make decisions.
Practical information pages for destinations
With nearly 90 pages dedicated to practical destinations, we aimed to create a resource directly useful to travel agents and professionals. From formalities and safety to health, climate, transportation, itineraries, and sales tips, the goal is to bring together essential information in a more user-friendly format.
The Visa Quiz
Entry requirements are among the most sensitive topics in travel sales. The Visa Quiz was designed to help navigate this information more effectively, while maintaining the necessary caution: official sources remain essential, but access to information must be facilitated.
The 1,000 places to visit
Tourism remains an inspirational industry. With the 1,000 places to visit, we wanted to offer a visual and editorial resource focused on discovery, desire, and showcasing destinations.
The World Map of DMCs
The global DMC map is one of our most directly B2B tools. It aims to facilitate the identification of destination management companies and local partners on a country-by-country basis. For agencies, tour operators, and professional buyers, this type of resource can save valuable time.
Map of campsites in France
Outdoor accommodation plays a significant role in the French tourism sector. The map of campsites in France makes this offering more accessible and easier to find.
Map of holiday clubs and villages
Holiday clubs and villages represent a significant segment of leisure tourism. Their geographical location, brands, and business models can sometimes be difficult to visualize. The map makes this information more accessible.
The register of travel operators
The register of travel operators serves a purpose of consultation and identification. Here again, the goal is simple: to transform professional data into a resource that can be used more quickly.
Map of CEDIV agencies
We have also developed a map dedicated to the agencies in the CEDIV network. The aim is to make their geographical location visible and to offer a more intuitive way to explore the network.
Map of Havas Voyages agencies
The same logic was applied to the Havas Voyages network. A map transforms a list of addresses into a more readable, fluid, and practical experience for the user.
What these tools really change for professionals
| Tool | Need treated | Value for tourism professionals |
|---|---|---|
| Live | Follow important information continuously | React more quickly to events that may impact business |
| Geopolitical Radar | Understanding the impacts of a crisis | Centralizing useful signals to better assess risks |
| 2026 World Cup | Preparing for a global tourism event | Anticipating traveler flows, destinations and needs |
| Bullshit alert | Verify information or a claim | Limit the repetition of misleading or poorly contextualized information |
| Tourism Statistics | Access the figures and trends | Save time in the search for usable data |
| Destination pages | Find practical information country by country | Better advise customers and prepare for sales |
| DMC Card | Identify local partners | Facilitating B2B networking on a country-by-country basis |
| Agency maps | Visualize physical networks | Make the location of agencies more legible |
A concrete example: the world map of DMCs
The global map of DMCs perfectly illustrates our change in logic.
We could have written an article on the importance of destination management companies in the tourism value chain. That would have been useful, but insufficient.
The real need of professionals is often more direct: to identify a local partner in a given destination.
The map therefore allows us to approach the subject differently. It does not replace verification, qualification or commercial relationship, but it facilitates a first step: discovering, locating and identifying potential players.
This is exactly the type of transition from article to tool that we want to multiply.
Questions that one might ask about these tools
Why does a media outlet develop tools?
Because a B2B media outlet can no longer simply produce information. It must also help its readers work more efficiently. These tools allow for the expansion of the article with concrete resources.
Do these tools replace official sources?
No. This is especially true for formalities, security, health, or crises. Our tools serve to guide, structure, and facilitate research, but official sources remain essential for any sensitive decision.
Are all the tools definitive?
No, and I stand by that. Some features will evolve, be enhanced, or redesigned. I prefer to improve existing tools rather than promise a perfect version for months that doesn't exist.
Why create so many maps?
Because tourism is also an industry of territories, networks, and locations. A map can sometimes make it possible to understand in a few seconds what a long list makes difficult to visualize.
Do these tools also have commercial value for InfosTourisme?
Yes, of course. They enhance our usefulness, our differentiation, and our ability to offer more concrete partner solutions. But their primary purpose remains professional use.
Key takeaways from this second stage
- InfosTourisme has not only published articles: we have started to build useful resources.
- The 14 tools were born from concrete needs observed in the sector.
- Our ambition is to save time for tourism professionals.
- Maps make networks, destinations and partners easier to understand.
- Tools do not replace human expertise, but they can facilitate it.
- A modern B2B media outlet must be able to inform, explain, and provide a service.
Next week, I'll be talking about the team behind InfosTourisme
While this first year has allowed us to build tools, it has also transformed InfosTourisme into a collective adventure.
Today, 12 volunteer experts support the media outlet, each with their own perspective, experience, and knowledge of the field.
Next week, for the third episode of this series, I will tell why InfosTourisme is no longer just the story of a founder, but that of a team that agreed to believe in a media outlet still under construction.
Six weeks. Six stories. A first year.
Do you use one of our tools or would you like to help us improve it? You can write to me at contact@infostourisme.com.
Updates
July 2026: Publication of the second episode of our special series dedicated to the six weeks leading up to InfosTourisme's first anniversary. Information regarding tools, maps, and practical pages is based on internal data from InfosTourisme Media.
Sources
https://infostourisme.com/page_pratique
https://infostourisme.com/radar-guerre-iran
https://infostourisme.com/alertebullshit
