credit: Open Tourism Lab
Small startups will go big… Occitanie has a strong culture of entrepreneurial dynamism. And if there is a strategic sector in a region like ours, it is the tourism sector. The coast, the hinterland, the mountains, the historical cities…there is something for everyone! Since 2017, in Nîmes, an organization has been created to support startups dedicated to tourism, travel and leisure. Its name: Open Tourisme Lab. Its job is to help speed up projects. In other words, once the project starts to take shape, the OTL aims to help it take off.
Revolutionizing Tourism
To date, nearly 100 projects have already benefited from the structure’s support, most often with the help of public funds. The worlds are diverse: experience platforms, technological tools to better target customers or sell stays, innovations that combine virtual reality or sound with real travel… These projects often involve some form of innovation. The dream: inventing a new trend that will revolutionize the world of travel or the tourism experience!
human and sustainable
This is kind of the goal of the new promotion 2022/2023. 11 winners, out of more than 60 nominees, will now be followed up in order to put their project in the best conditions for success. The common point of the selected startups: innovation in the service of sustainable and environmentally responsible tourism that values the human experience. This is the case of Vaolo, a platform in Quebec that has chosen to set up its European headquarters in Nîmes. Emmanuel Bobin, Director of Open Tourisme Lab, explains how their project, which highlights “authentic moments,” is an introduction:
“Certified gamer. Problem solver. Internet enthusiast. Twitter scholar. Infuriatingly humble alcohol geek. Tv guru.”
