With the creation of the Departmental Tourism Committee (CDT) “ Haute-Savoie Mont-Blanc“, the department of Haute-Savoie is beginning a new era in the promotion of its territory. This shift also marks the end of a historic cooperation with Savoie with the Agence Savoie Mont Blanc, now in liquidation.
The return of classic CDTs
Haute-Savoie officially constituted its CDT during a constitutive General Assembly this Wednesday, December 4. This unique organization aims to sustainably promote the tourist attractions of the department, from Lake Annecy to Mont-Blanc, including its ski resorts. According to information from Progrès and l'Écho Touristique, the management of this new committee would be entrusted to Anne-Sophie Secondi, former director of the Cerdon-Vallée de l'Ain public interest group.
This initiative occurs in a particular context: the end of the Savoie Mont Blanc Agency, which had brought together the promotional efforts of the two departments for more than two decades. The split, caused by tensions between Savoie and Haute-Savoie, put an end to a model of cooperation recognized for its effectiveness.
Classic CDT missions
The role of the CDT will be to strengthen the tourist visibility of Haute-Savoie, in France and internationally. Its main missions include:
- Implementation of marketing and communication strategies.
- The organization and coordination of local tourism stakeholders.
- Holding a tourism economy observatory, focused on sustainability issues.
- The creation and marketing of tourism products.
With these objectives, the CDT wishes to establish itself as a key player for the 70 million tourist nights recorded each year in Savoie and Haute-Savoie.
The end of a long history of bidepartmental cooperation
The Savoie Mont Blanc Agency, created in the early 2000s, marked a turning point by bringing together the efforts of the two departments. Based in Annecy and Chambéry, it had succeeded in establishing the brand “ Savoie Mont Blanc » on a French and international scale. Its actions went beyond tourism promotion, integrating the promotion of local products, heritage and regional know-how.
However, recurring political tensions between the two departments led to a rift. In 2023, the entire governance of the agency resigned, prompting the opening of legal proceedings and the appointment of an administrator. Today, the liquidation of the structure is underway, with priority given to the reclassification of employees still in post.
On the Savoie side, the creation of the CDT will take place in January, with the takeover of around twenty employees depending on the department.
Tourism: a third of the department's economy
In Haute-Savoie, tourism represents around a third of the departmental GDP. With 738,100 tourist beds, Haute-Savoie concentrates nearly 35,167 jobs in the sector according to figures communicated by the department. If 53% of overnight stays take place in winter and 42% in summer, Haute-Savoie is the second ski department, just after Savoie (23.1% of skier days in Haute-Savoie, compared to 41.2% in Haute-Savoie according to Domaines Skiables de France). The major tourist areas are the Pays du Mont-Blanc, the lake and the city of Annecy, and the numerous resorts in the department.
