With nearly 8,000 inhabitants, the commune of La Colle-Sur-Loup has been seeking to bring a new impetus to its tourism economy for almost two years. The director of the Tourism Office, Vincent Pomparat, and his team have launched an ambitious communication campaign.
Nestled between Saint-Paul and Cagnes-Sur-Mer, the village stands out for the preservation of its authenticity and its many natural spaces. Its location in the department gives it the advantage of serving as a gateway for tourists looking to explore the Côte d’Azur. However, it is challenging to make a mark when surrounded by iconic places with sometimes international fame.
“When you are called La Colle-sur-Loup, and you have such prestigious neighbors as Saint-Paul de Vence, Cannes, Nice, Monaco, or Antibes, it is challenging to exist. We do not have the sea nearby, we are not completely in the hinterland, we do not have extraordinary heritage. International tour operators do not target us as a tourist destination. To add value, we need to make it known that we exist. For this, we can rely on an indisputable argument: La Colle-sur-Loup is the ideal place to visit the Côte d’Azur,” explains Vincent Pomparat.
In order to overcome these obstacles, the commune came up with the idea of creating a small “I Love La Colle” sticker available at the Tourism Office and in shops. The goal is to spread the village’s name as a genuine territorial brand. Since the beginning of the year, this sticker has been circulating throughout the department, and a photo contest has even been organized. To participate, just attach the sticker to the back of your vehicle and take a photo before sending it to the Tourism Office’s email address. Some of these photos are then published on social media.
“Today, we are very active on social media, particularly on Facebook, which reaches a wide audience and people going on vacation. We try to have one or two posts a day, to have content and to tell the story of La Colle,” says Vincent Pomparat. In two years, the virtual community of the Facebook page has grown from 1,200 to 6,300 people. A remarkable progression.
In an era where regions are increasingly competitive, the village wants to stand out, with the ambition that in a few years, it will have gained enough notoriety for its tourism economy to no longer be a question. There is no doubt about its potential, nor about the dynamism of the commune.
