At a time when the events industry is being dramatically affected by cancellations and postponements, the destination Bordeaux hears supporting the MICE market and save what can still be saved. " We're working on an operation to encourage companies in the New Aquitaine region to keep their meetings scheduled until the end of the year.explains Amélie Déchénais, head of the Convention Bureau. We're firmly convinced that at a time when people are teleworking or on short-time working, the meeting has even more meaning than it did before in terms of regenerating motivation and cohesion. "
From the beginning of November, the Tourist Office will release a budget to cover the cost of the moment of conviviality around the event, whether it's an animation, a team-building activity or a sit-down dinner. This initiative is seen both as a way of putting the industry back to work, i.e. all the restaurateurs, caterers and agencies whose business is in freefall. But it also demonstrates the confidence of the tourism authorities in the safety measures applied by all their partners. " All the locations are based on the frame of reference defined by UNIMEV and there has been no cluster on events organised in Bordeaux since Junesays Amélie Déchénais. By taking on the responsibility for this moment of conviviality, we are pushing reassurance to the maximum by taking the weight off the shoulders of companies that are reluctant. "
No doubt less penalised than towns in maximum alert zones Like Paris, Lyon and Lille, where exhibition venues were recently forced to close by order of the prefecture, the destination is no less affected. " In September, we somehow relived what happened in Marchsays the head of the Convention Bureau. However, we were rather confident with a healthy autumn order book and a number of national and even European events with large audiences. However, the announcement in mid-September that private events would be limited to ten people led to confusion among organisers of professional events. Numerous events for 50 to 150 people have been cancelled when, in fact, they would have been entitled to take place, in complete safety what's more. This is a great shame. "
To avoid chain cancellations, the Convention Bureau has undertaken a major reassurance campaign on the capacity of local event venues to host conventions and seminars in complete safety, particularly at the Atlantic Palacea new conference centre connected to Hall 1 of the exhibition centre. " We are not constrained by spacesays Amélie Déchénais. We can easily adapt and build large plenary rooms or meeting rooms, all with optimum flow management thanks to several entrances. "All of this in the green area around the lake, with its hotels and casino nearby, a relaxing setting after meetings.
The tourist office is also promoting a wide range of incentive experiencesThese range from the classic, based around the architectural heritage and the prestigious vineyards, to the more contemporary, with strolls around new districts such as the Bassins à Flots, or Koh Landia activities in the Landes forest or the nearby ocean. " You can imagine a lot of things about water, underlines Amélie Déchénais. For example, on private islands in the Gironde estuary, which have facilities for hosting events and meetings. "For business meetings in the fresh air, right up there with the times.
