Brittany Ferries and Atout France signed a new three-year strategic agreement on 14 April 2026 aboard SAINT-MALO in Saint-Malo, strengthening their long-standing cooperation to promote France to British travellers.
The renewed partnership comes as competition between tourism destinations intensifies. Both organisations aim to support more sustainable and innovative tourism while increasing the international appeal of France.
The UK remains France’s third-largest inbound tourism market, with an estimated 13.1 million visitor arrivals in 2025. British visitors are also among the highest spenders, generating more than EUR 8 billion in tourism revenue.
At the same time, Ireland has gained importance as a nearby growth market following Brexit, creating further opportunities.
Brittany Ferries carries more than 2.5 million passengers each year and plays a key role in connecting French regions with major UK markets, generating substantial tourism benefits for Brittany, Normandy and other served regions.
The new roadmap includes:
- stronger use of customer data and market intelligence
- ambitious digital promotion, including innovation and AI
- expanded joint marketing campaigns in the UK
- onboard promotion of French gastronomy and craftsmanship
- destination marketing linked to major cultural events
A key milestone will be the Millennium of the Normans celebrations in 2027, marking 1,000 years of shared history between France and the UK. Both partners see this as a major opportunity to further raise France’s profile among British travellers.
Atout France is France’s national tourism development agency, responsible for promoting France as a travel destination and strengthening the competitiveness and sustainability of its tourism sector.
Photo: Adam Oubuih, CEO Atout France, and Christophe Mathieu, CEO Brittany Ferries
© Jess Breheret