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The CE's (work
councils) : a good bargain
The CE market (CE stands for comite d'entreprise) has a vacation budget of 20 billion francs (about 4 billion dollars). CE's are widespread in-so far as it is mandatory for any French company hiring more than 50 salaried employees to operate a CE.
Overall, there are 32000 CE's which represent more than 5,6 million salary makers. In addition, some CE's cooperate and gather in "inter CE's", very large scale CE's.
Economic advantages of CE's : for travel professionals, the CE market is attractive because of its creditworthiness, it pays quickly and provides groups of tourists all year round, especially during the off season.
By the way, what exactly is a
CE?
Definition : A CE is a committee which represents the interest of salary makers in the company.
The budget : the budget is at least 0,2% of the payroll or indexed on the turnover of the firm. The budget for the social and cultural activities is worked out according to the number of salary makers and is mainly dedicated to vacations.
CE's manage their budget as they want to. Traditionally, they offer group travel (see more). Nowadays, the CE's try to have more flexibility and tend to make more individual travel reservations for the salary makers.
CEs and tourism
Tourism and leisure activities mobilize most CE's resources. This means a considerable number of persons. The CE's meet the demand of families, singles, as well as those of couples without children.
The work councils offer some possibilities of journeys to salary makers, especially a yearly trip between April and June. They also offer some programs at different seasons.
Note that more than 5,6 million salary makers are concerned. Besides, the present economic context incites the wage earners to be more and more involved in the activities and services work councils provide.
It is important to add that since they were created in 1945, the work councils have proved their interest in young people. Youngsters are proposed camps, language stays, transplanted classes, sport training courses... These programs are regularly adjusted in order to please the consumers. See more about the youngsters market in France.
Action means
The work councils have other means at to help the salary makers build their vacations : they help them organize their holidays and inform them about existing offers. Brochures, advertising material are available to the staff inside the company and some specialists are qualified to advise the salary makers. CE's usually hire several full time employees in order to cater to the staff's trips.
Some tour operators don't hesitate to offer some incentives to work councils in order to conquer that market. Not surprisingly, many of them develop some partnership with work CE's : they represent a considerable stake.
How can you reach the work
councils?
Although the work councils market is attractive, it is difficult to apprehend.
Their staff is very heterogeneous : some are travel professionals, others are perfect novices.
French tour operators compete hard to get their own share of the market. Quite a few of them specialize in tours for CE's.
Work councils are very cautious when they purchase vacations : considering the financial stakes, they cannot make mistakes.
This drive them to preferably purchase from French tour operators, which are highly responsible by the French law rather than directly deal with hotels, ground operators or various suppliers located in foreign countries.
Consequently, your best bet to get your share of the CE's market is to be distributed by French tour operators which cater to them.
Also see our page tips to break into the French travel market.
Many thanks to Aurelie Berton, Marie-Caroline de Bonnay and Nathalie Castex for this page.
