The Alliance Française of Greater Orlando is excited to continue its Monthly Cultural Talks series, offering a platform for engaging discussions with inspiring figures from the Francophone world.
Monthly Cultural Talks – May Edition
- Date: Friday, May 01, 2026
- 6:00 PM: Welcome Drinks
- 6:15 PM – 7:15 PM: Talk followed by Q&A
- Location: Alliance Française of Greater Orlando
- Admission: Free for Members and AFGO/UCF Students | $5 General Admission
The presentation will be conducted primarily in French, followed by an open discussion and book signing. Questions in English are welcome.
“Running a DMC: Behind the Scenes of Extraordinary Travel Experiences”
Presented by Isabelle Chauffeton Saavedra
Talk:
Running a Destination Management Company is about turning ideas into unforgettable, one-of-a-kind travel experiences for corporate and special interest groups, whether built around themes like cars, space, local culture, astronomy, music, history or nature exploration in a specific region or country or destination. It also means organizing conferences, corporate retreats, and meetings where the stakes can be high for the companies that trust you to make those moments a success. Behind every seamless journey is a tremendous amount of research, creativity, and effort to uncover unique venues, orchestrate authentic encounters, and craft truly immersive, meaningful moments. It’s a highly customer-centric job, often demanding and sometimes underappreciated, where success means putting the client’s vision first and working quietly in the background to ensure every detail is perfect—even in the face of challenging expectations. Yet, the reward comes when you see an event come to life and guests fully engaged and happy in the experience. Isabelle will be talking about her own experience creating and running several DMCs for the last 30 years across 3 continents and the diverse skill and mind set required to successfully bring these complex projects to life.
Bio:
With over 30 years of experience as a destination management company (DMC) owner across three continents, Isabelle Chauffeton has built a career designing and delivering exceptional, tailor-made travel experiences for corporate and special interest groups. Her work blends creativity, cultural insight, and operational excellence to create immersive events that leave a lasting impact.
Beyond her professional expertise, Isabelle is deeply passionate about astronomy and astrophotography, as well as Native American culture—interests that often inspire the unique themes she brings to her programs. She is also the author of two books and co-author of a third, exploring the nature of consciousness through a personal lens that bridges science and spirituality.
The presentation will be followed by a Q&A, then stay for a friendly gathering to continue the conversation with the guest.
Pre-register now to reserve your seat!
