The Board of Paris je t’aime – Paris Tourist Office has elected Elisa Yavchitz as its Chair. She is the first woman to hold the position since the Office was founded.
Thanking the directors for their trust, she said she was deeply honoured to have been elected the first woman to chair the Board of Paris je t’aime – Paris Tourist Office.
A profile spanning public service and the non-profit sector
Elisa Yavchitz is an elected councillor of the City of Paris. She founded the association Les Canaux, serves as special advisor to the NGO Acted and teaches at Sciences Po Paris. She also sits on the Paris departmental committee of the Secours populaire charity.
The chairmanship extends her remit to the capital’s tourism economy. She intends to devote all her energy, experience and skills to supporting a new phase in the Office’s development.
Governance shared between the City and the tourism industry
Paris je t’aime was founded in 1971 as a joint initiative of the City of Paris and the Paris Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI Paris). This non-profit association, governed by France’s 1901 Associations Act, welcomes and informs visitors, supports the development and competitiveness of Parisian tourism professionals, and promotes the destination’s international appeal.
The new Chair says she wants to work alongside the City of Paris, the Métropole du Grand Paris, local authorities, CCI Paris, institutional stakeholders and tourism professionals. The Office also leads a sustainable tourism strategy across the wider area, one recent milestone of which was the Hospitality Manifesto launched ahead of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Continuity with Pierre Rabadan and Corinne Menegaux
Elisa Yavchitz paid tribute to the work of Pierre Rabadan, who she said had driven and supported significant transformations at Paris je t’aime over the past three years. As the City of Paris’s Deputy Mayor for Tourism, he remains a direct point of contact for the Office.
The Chair will work with Corinne Menegaux, Managing Director of the Office, to raise Paris’s profile and, together, shape the tourism of tomorrow. Corinne Menegaux closely monitors visitor numbers in the capital and average visitor spend.
The Office’s priorities
Paris je t’aime is leading the digital transformation of visitor services. The Office is also rolling out a network of tourist information points across Paris and Greater Paris.
Analysis – For Parisian hoteliers, the arrival of an elected official at the head of the Board shows that the Office remains closely tied to municipal policy. Its ability to rally professionals around the management of visitor flows and sustainability will be worth watching.
At a glance by The Hospitality Tribune
Elisa Yavchitz elected Chair of Paris je t’aime – Paris Tourist Office
First woman to chair the board of Paris’s official tourist office, founded in 1971 by the City of Paris and the Paris Chamber of Commerce
Paris city councillor, founder of Les Canaux, special advisor to Acted and lecturer at Sciences Po Paris
Works alongside Managing Director Corinne Menegaux and Deputy Mayor for Tourism Pierre Rabadan
Priorities: digital visitor services, Greater Paris information network, sustainable tourism strategy
