Bpifrance has launched a new initiative called La French Expérience, a community for tourism and leisure entrepreneurs in France. The announcement came during the Big 2026 event, an annual gathering of entrepreneurs organized by Bpifrance, held at the Accor Arena in Paris on October 8th. This year’s event, the 12th edition, featured a full day of exchanges, workshops, and conferences covering various themes, including climate, industry, innovation, and tourism, which held a special place in the program.
The initiative aims to bring together businesses of all sizes from accommodation, food service, travel, leisure, and tourism technology sectors. Its goals include showcasing industry successes, promoting best practices, and encouraging collaboration among members, ultimately creating a collective dynamic to enhance the global reach of French tourism.
A Community for Sharing Experiences
Eric Versey, Executive Director of Financing and Network at Bpifrance, expressed enthusiasm for the launch. “Tourism is about dreams and memories, but it’s also a strategic asset and a powerful driver of growth, employment, and attractiveness,” he said. The launch was officially announced in the presence of Serge Papin, Minister of SMEs, Trade, Crafts, Tourism, and Purchasing Power, and surprisingly, influencer and content creator Bruno Maltor.
La French Expérience will be led by 40 ambassadors selected from across France. Participation is free, and the goal is to unite 1,000 committed tourism leaders by 2030. Bpifrance will also leverage its network of 50 business development managers located throughout the country. The community will come to life through meetings, events, study presentations, and leader spotlights across the nation.
Bpifrance’s Commitment to Tourism
The launch highlights Bpifrance’s strong commitment to the tourism sector. Since 2021, the public investment bank has provided nearly €5 billion in financing to tourism and leisure businesses, supporting approximately 6,000 companies through honor loans, credits, guarantees, and equity investments. This effort shows Bpifrance’s role as a key partner for entrepreneurs, offering a full range of financing, investment, and support services.
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Bpifrance’s guarantee-free loan program, particularly the Prêt Boost Saison touristique, has supported 1,640 businesses with over €73 million. Loan guarantees from banking and non-banking partners, such as Réseau Entreprendre, further bolster the sector. Overall, Bpifrance and its partners have supported nearly 60,000 tourism and leisure businesses over the past five years, with a total investment of €12 billion.
Investment Funds and Advisory Services
Bpifrance’s support extends beyond financing. Its Tourism Investment Funds (FIT) aim to nurture leading French companies. Since 2015, three successive funds have invested €520 million in 157 companies, including Pierre & Vacances-Center Parcs, Les Hôtels Littéraires, Voyageurs du Monde, and Havas Voyages. The FIT 3 fund, launched in 2023 with €200 million, recently invested in Belambra to support its renovation and upgrade program.
A new fund, FIT 4, will launch in 2027 with a budget of €250 million. This fund will expand its focus to include sports infrastructure, entertainment, leisure, and tourism experiences, marking a broader scope of intervention. Additionally, Bpifrance has provided advisory services to 885 SMEs and mid-sized companies in the sector since 2015, addressing challenges related to growth, structuring, environmental and digital transitions, and AI integration.
The Tourism & Leisure Accelerator, a joint initiative with Banque des Territoires, has supported 179 leaders across seven cohorts since 2019, further demonstrating Bpifrance’s wide-ranging approach to supporting innovation and growth in the tourism and leisure sectors.