Yannick Briand launches new travel agency

Yannick Briand, co-founder of Horizon Boréal, has launched a new adventure travel agency focused on the Northern territories of Norway, Iceland, Finland, Greenland, Spitzbergen, and Sweden. The agency aims to offer personalized travel experiences in these remote and less-visited regions.

Background on Briand's previous work

Briand previously co-founded the Altaï group, which was recently renamed Atalante and acquired by the Australian company Intrepid in April 2026. He left the management and presidency of the group three years ago, selling his shares, but remained active in the field through teaching and speaking engagements.

Reason for launching Horizon Boréal

Briand realized that something was missing after three years of stepping back from his professional life. "After three years, I wanted to get back on a project and territories that are dear to my heart," he said. Horizon Boréal was born in the autumn of 2026, with the aim of offering customized adventure travel in small groups.

Agency's approach and offerings

The agency focuses on niche products and territories, offering more intimate stays and an artisanal experience. "We are on niche products and territories. We could have programmed Scandinavia and the polar regions in mass-market travel. That was not the choice we made, because others do it very well and it does not fit us," Briand explained.

Targeting a growing market

Briand noted that adventure travel has left its niche to make an important place in the tourism industry, responding to the deep needs of urban societies. "These large territories of the North are sparsely populated. They offer this reconnection with nature and allow you to live an experience you cannot live anywhere else," he said.

Focus on customer experience

Briand emphasized that the human being will return to the center of everything, especially travel, in a society where screens distance people from the essential. He is not worried about technological developments, stating that the focus should be on the final customer experience and added value.