French tourism promotion agency Atout France has joined hands with global streaming media leader Netflix to launch a promotional campaign and a series of online guides using the top shows on Netflix that have France at their heart.

American media-streaming company Netflix and Atout France, the national tourism agency of France, have come together in a letter of commitment to promote France as a leading global tourism destination using some of the top shows on Netflix.

According to a press statement issued by Atout France, to mark the occasion the two have unveiled an advertising campaign entitled On n’a pas fini d’imaginer la France or ‘There’s Always more to Imagine about France’. And, as part of the partnership, a brand-new collection of online tourist guides is also being launched to discover France in a new light, in the footsteps of Netflix heroes Emily, Lupin among others.

The statement adds that the online guides available on netflix-en-france.fr/en offer a dozen themed itineraries, a personalised guide generator and a selection of over 70 locations linked to iconic films and series, with the help of an interactive map. The guides also offer a blend of information about the location and behind-the-scenes anecdotes about the filming, from iconic landmarks to hidden gems, the statement adds.

The tourism board says that Netflix regularly puts France in the spotlight with its French and international productions shot in France. The broadcasting of these films and television shows enhances France’s allure as a cultural and travel destination, as per Basis Research Institute study.

“With over 20 original French productions a year, we are proud to showcase France in over 190 countries worldwide. By teaming up with Atout France, we aim to help you discover or rediscover France and its treasures on screen. This initiative is also part of the ‘France Brand’ campaign, embodied by the slogan ‘Make It Iconic. Choose France’. Launched last October by French President Emmanuel Macron, it is supported by the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs and operated by the Government Information Service. The France brand aims to promote France, its culture, its talent, its economy and appeal on an international scale and highlights l’Audace à la Française or the French audacity,” says Marie-Laure Daridan, Director of Institutional Relations, Netflix France.

The statement adds that productions like Lupin, Balle Perdue, Murder Mystery, Miraculous, La Vie Scolaire and more, and not just Emily in Paris, have increased France’s tourist appeal.

According to a study of American, Japanese and German audiences, viewers who watched French programmes on Netflix are three times more likely to name France as their number one travel destination.

The report adds that Netflix subscribers who have watched these films and series will generally be more inclined to explore French culture by continuing the experience in their own way. About 63 pc want to visit cultural sites and monuments while 61 pc want to learn about culinary specialties of France. Further, 58 pc want to explore French cities portrayed on screen.

The statement adds that interest in French culture also extends to language, where viewers who have watched French-language productions are 3.5 times more likely to want to learn to speak French than viewers who have not been exposed to these programmes, accounting for about 32 pc versus 9 pc of those surveyed.

The statement adds that by reaching audiences who wouldn’t necessarily have had access to French productions, Netflix enables people to discover France differently. Beyond the desire to travel, nearly one in two people who have watched a French film or series on Netflix say they have a more positive image of the country.

“Thanks to the diversity of its landscapes, the richness of its cultural heritage and its art of living, France offers the most beautiful settings for film and series productions. The partnership we are formalising today with Netflix will enable us to further develop the appeal of France generated by films and series. Thanks to a new travel guide and interactive map, visitors will discover the French sites and locations highlighted in Netflix films and series, including lesser-known places along with the iconic sites and destinations,” says Caroline Leboucher, General Manager of Atout France.