Revlys, the start-up that takes you on a tour of France
07/06/2021
Solène LOEUR and Axel FENAUX met each other during their studies at IÉSEG. Both graduated in 2015 and took different directions: Solène started working in the fashion industry while Axel started his career in the event and music sector. After working a few years within large companies and start-ups, it was in the summer 2018 that they joined forces and agreed on one thing: they both wanted to become their own boss.
Passionate about travels and sensitive to environmental issues, they decided to turn to the eco-responsible tourism sector. “We changed our plan several times. At the beginning, we wanted to target the elderly who are alone and do not have anyone to go on vacation with, but we quickly realized that it was a difficult target to reach. Then, we decided to turn to company directors specifically, and finally, we thought ‘why not address all French people’?” explains Solène LOEUR. That is when the idea came up to offer a tailor-made travel service to all French people who wished to go on vacation in their own country. “With the health crisis, we had to be adaptable but in the end, we could say that the crisis was beneficial to us in a way since the French could only travel within France during the Summer 2020. So, we had an offer that fitted perfectly the context.” The proof is that last year the start-up multiplied its sales by six.
A tailor-made and environmentally friendly offer
Revlys is aimed at French people who want to enjoy themselves by discovering or re-discovering a region of France and its culture, without having to deal with all the stress related to organizing a trip. Each client fills out a quick questionnaire in order to identify their needs and desires. The company then proposes three combos of accommodation and activities to pick from among its small local partners.
With its eco-friendly approach, Revlys also set up a partnership with Carbo – a start-up that allows anyone to calculate their carbon footprint and provides ways to compensate for it thanks to environmental projects, such as tree planting or soil preservation. Through this collaboration, Revlys offers its customers the possibility to offset their carbon impact up by participating in the financing of a climate project in the region where they go on vacation. If the client decides to cover up to 50% of its carbon footprint, then Revlys will complete the rest in order to ensure a trip 100% neutral in terms of carbon impact. The start-up differs from “classic” travel agencies by offering destinations that are not yet well known among tourists. “The idea is to dust off the image of these regions and educate the French population to know a little better their own country” adds Axel FENAUX.
IÉSEG, a springboard to creativity
By being part of the IÉSEG Incubator, the two young entrepreneurs were able to take advantage of its large network. They also stay in contact with the School by hiring, among others, students for internships or apprenticeship. “We know that IÉSEG is a safe choice” adds Solène.
If Revlys continues to grow, the founders would like to offer their services to foreigners who wish to discover France and maybe even some day to expand their business abroad, in other European countries. In the meantime, any advice from Revlys co-founders for future vacationers? “Try to plan your departure in September, there is much more availability at that period.”