Single chapter

The "Atout France, agence de développement touristique de la France" economic interest grouping, placed under the supervision of the Minister for Tourism, is subject to the provisions of this article and of article L. 141-3 and, insofar as they are not contrary thereto, to the provisions of Chapter I of Title V of Book II of the French Commercial Code.

The Agency has a threefold objective: to promote tourism in France, to carry out tourism engineering operations and to implement a competitiveness and quality policy for businesses in the sector. It defines the national strategy for promoting "destination France" in accordance with the guidelines laid down by the French government. It contributes to the implementation of public policies in favour of tourism, in particular through the following missions:

- to provide expertise to the State, local authorities and private partners or associations that are members of the group, in defining and implementing their tourism policy, designing and developing their projects, advising them on training, research, innovation and sustainable development in the tourism sector, and exporting its know-how internationally;

- draw up, implement and monitor information and promotion campaigns for the regions and destinations of mainland France and the overseas collectivities on foreign and domestic markets. To this end, the agency promotes the quality of the tourist offer in terms of accommodation, catering, tourist reception and related services, carries out the classification procedures provided for in Book III of this code and classifies the market tourist accommodation concerned, with the exception of furnished tourist accommodation;

- to observe tourism phenomena, to establish reliable figures that can be used by its members, to produce studies, particularly prospective studies, on supply and demand in tourism sectors and regions, and to disseminate the results of its work by any means it deems appropriate;

- to draw up and update classification tables for hotels, tourist residences, furnished tourist accommodation, residential tourist villages, holiday villages, camping and caravan parks and residential leisure parks, and to distribute the list of classified accommodation, with the exception of furnished tourist accommodation, freely and without charge.

The State, local authorities and their public bodies may, by agreement, entrust the agency with other general interest missions compatible with its purpose.

The agency includes a commission responsible for registering the natural or legal persons mentioned in article L. 211-1.

It also includes a commission for commercial tourist accommodation. The tasks, operating conditions and terms of participation of organisations representing the tourist accommodation sector in the work of this commission are determined by decree.

The agency will ensure that it is represented at local level, using existing structures where appropriate.

Local authorities, their public bodies and local tourism organisations may participate in the French Tourist Development Agency.

A Government Commissioner is appointed to the Agency. His mission and the terms and conditions of his appointment are laid down by decree in the Council of State.

The agency is subject to economic and financial control by the State, without prejudice to the provisions of article L. 251-12 of the French Commercial Code.

The contract establishing the Agence de Développement Touristique de la France is approved by order of the Minister for Tourism.

The agency's Managing Director, appointed by the Minister for Tourism on the recommendation of the Board of Directors, is responsible for the running of the grouping under the authority of the Board and its Chairman. In dealings with third parties, the Managing Director shall bind the Grouping in respect of all acts falling within its purpose.