Digital and AI strategy expert

AI applied to tourism, from strategy to real-world practice.

13years in tourism, out of 20 in digital
20+talks since 2024
3,000+IA, Tech & Travel Café subscribers

Background

I started my career writing code: six years as a developer and web designer, then as a project manager and UX designer. I’ve since moved into strategy, but I’ve kept one habit: testing tools myself before talking about them.

I moved into tourism in 2013, joining Lorraine Tourisme. Today, I head the digital department at Agence Régionale du Tourisme Grand Est and coordinate Explore Grand Est (opens in a new tab), a platform that brings together 2,200+ partners and has been recognized at the UX Awards and the Trophées de la Communication Digitale.

I also know the less visible side of tourism: data. Information systems, DataTourisme, structuring tourism content… That’s where destinations win or lose visibility, now that travelers turn to AI for answers.

Since 2024, I’ve been sharing what I test in IA, Tech & Travel Café (opens in a new tab), my independent media outlet, and on LinkedIn (opens in a new tab), both in French. I’ve also spoken about it on stage more than twenty times so far, from Next Tourisme to Grands Remous in Québec. Talks are delivered in French.

Nicolas François on stage, holding a microphone
© EBG · Digital Benchmark

Training and recognition

A solid theoretical foundation and a commitment to spreading AI across tourism.

Agentic AI Applied to Enterprise Transformation

Certification · MIT Professional Education · September to December 2025

Tourism ambassador for France’s national “Osez l’IA” initiative

Appointment · French Ministry of Economy · since September 2025

Media accreditations

Web Summit, Lisbon, Portugal, November 2026 · VivaTech, Paris, France, 2025 and 2026 · Raise Summit, Paris, France, 2025 and 2026

Get in touch

A question, a project, an idea?