35+ years from tourism entrepreneurship to sustainable tourism consulting
My experience combines three perspectives that rarely come together: tourism entrepreneur and destination practitioner, sustainability trainer and auditor, and international consultant.
I spent more than three decades building and managing tourism businesses and ecolodges in Madagascar before progressively moving into sustainable tourism strategy, training, certification and destination development.
The unprecedented tourism shutdown of 2020 marked the end of this entrepreneurial chapter and the beginning of my transition toward international sustainable tourism consulting, training and certification.
Today, I work across Madagascar, Africa, the Indian Ocean and internationally, supporting tourism businesses, destinations, institutions and development programmes.
1. Tourism entrepreneurship & Ecolodge development
Madagascar — Three decades of hands-on experience
Before moving into international consulting and training, I spent more than three decades creating, developing and managing tourism businesses in Madagascar.
As an incoming tour operator, I travelled extensively across the country, researching destinations, assessing sites and identifying opportunities for nature-based and responsible tourism. This field knowledge led me to develop and operate three ecolodges in very different environments.
From site assessment and concept development to construction, operations and international marketing, I experienced the full lifecycle of tourism development. This included designing nature-based experiences, working with local communities, guides and suppliers, building local value chains and adapting products to the expectations of international markets.
This experience still guides my work today: how can tourism create economic value while respecting the place, its people and its natural assets?
Tourism Entrepreneurship • Site Assessment • Ecolodge Development • Nature-Based Tourism • Product Development • Local Value Chains • International Markets
2. FIELD Masterclass:
from experience to transformation
F-I-E-L-D
F — Feel
I — Imagine
E — Experience
L — Learn
D — Do
My own approach to sustainable tourism capacity building
After years of training tourism professionals in very different contexts, I developed FIELD, a practical masterclass approach rooted in more than three decades of hands-on tourism experience.
FIELD moves beyond traditional classroom training. It combines international sustainability principles with field observation, real business challenges, peer learning, coaching and practical tools. Participants work on their own tourism realities and leave with concrete actions they can implement.
The methodology can be adapted to destinations, tourism businesses, community-based tourism initiatives and Training of Trainers programmes.
LEARNING FROM THE FIELD. TURNING EXPERIENCE INTO ACTION.
Experiential Learning • Sustainable Tourism • Field-Based Training • Coaching • Training of Trainers • Practical Transformation
3. International Sustainable Tourism Training
Canada • French Polynesia • International
As a GSTC Trainer, I deliver professional sustainable tourism training in French and English, primarily through online programmes, working with tourism professionals, institutions and destinations across different cultural and market contexts.
My training experience builds on many years of international engagement in sustainable and responsible tourism — from industry panels and professional networks to capacity-building programmes and technical assignments.
These different perspectives allow me to translate global sustainability principles into practical examples and applications that make sense locally.
GSTC Standards • Sustainable Tourism • Capacity Building • International Training • Knowledge Sharing
4. Community & Destination development
Indian Ocean • Africa • Mediterranean
I work with destinations, communities and development programmes where tourism is expected to contribute simultaneously to local livelihoods, conservation and stronger visitor experiences.
Assignments in the Comoros, Tunisia and Madagascar have included community-based tourism, marine and nature tourism, experience development, value chains and market readiness.
My role is often to connect the different pieces: community aspirations, tourism economics, conservation objectives and the realities of international markets.
Community-Based Tourism • Destination Development • Conservation • Value Chains • Market Readiness
International Market & Business Readiness
Africa • Asia • European source markets
I coach tourism entrepreneurs and businesses from emerging destinations to strengthen products, positioning and access to international markets.
My experience includes preparation for international trade fairs, B2B positioning, product assessment, responsible marketing and sustainability requirements.
Certification and standards—including my experience as a sustainability coach and auditor—form part of this work when relevant, rather than being treated as an objective in themselves.
Market Readiness • B2B Tourism • Product Positioning • Responsible Marketing • Sustainability Standards
