Hybrid events on the Côte d'Azur: mixed reviews, mixed opinions...

On the Côte d'Azur as elsewhere, the concept of Hybrid MICE has made a big splash in recent months. But in a destination spoiled by nature, the question of the event-screen can be posed differently...". Coming to Antibes There's no point in holding a digital event here: you might as well stay in Paris. "says Jean-Pierre Derail, Director of the Palais des Congrès d'Orléans.Antibes Juans-les-Pins. " When Covid arrived, everyone went digital and we proclaimed the end of events. It saves time and energy, it's less polluting... Now people are saturated with it. The average time spent concentrating in front of a screen is no more than 2 hours. So for a three-day conference... ". However, the Director of the Palais des Congrès d'Antibes Juans-les-Pins agrees: he may have listened to the siren calls of hybrids, but then turned away. " If someone had asked me a few months ago, I could have said: " the future is hybridization" . Digital technology makes it possible to broaden the audience and bring in speakers from far away at a lower cost. But in the end, when we talk to customers, they only consider the digital format if they have to, if they have no choice. People want to meet ". Aside from the anthropological aspect, this observation also responds to a more pragmatic logic, that of the economic model of the events industry. " It's important to remember that a conference lives and breathes through its exhibition component, which finances the event. In the digital format, there are few or no exhibitors, so it's a bit like shooting yourself in the foot. At medical congresses, you need to be able to showcase products and new machines, which is virtually impossible in digital format. ".

These reservations about digital events are shared by other MICE players on the Côte d'Azur. A Mandelieu-la-NapouleAlthough there was some hope of a hybrid demand, the wind quickly died down. The streaming studio that was installed in the Centre Expo Congrès did not last long: it was once again transformed into a meeting room. " We've all grasped the digital tool, we've improved it, it's been an opportunity... but we've all had enough... "Odile Delannoy, Director of the Centre Expo Congrès in Mandelieu-la Napoule, and also President of the Coésio network, sums up the situation. " We've had events that were totally digital, and then hybrids, but the economic model is difficult to exploit, and human beings need human relationships. We're going to continue to use digital technology to extend the reach of our conferences and trade shows. That's why we've created a Social Network Room. But all digital: no. We've tried, we've adapted, but ultimately we need to meet. We're saturated with digital tools. A room reacts, not a screen "says Odile Delannoy.

Pierre-Louis Roucariés made the same observation. The Chairman of Provence Côte d'Azur Events (PCE) and Unimev explains: " I'm a great believer in the fact that physical communities will want to get together again in formats that used to exist. Digital will even create an even bigger community throughout the year, which will work much better together, and this will generate the desire to meet up physically. Technological operators have made a lot of progress in virtual meetings, and this will continue. Virtual events will be held, which may in some cases replace the physical event. But there is an intrinsic element to the event: chance. And technology leaves no room for chance. At a trade show, there's always a meeting that wasn't planned, via a third party or by chance in an aisle, where you can discover a new stand or a new technology. This wouldn't have happened with a fully calibrated programme, as it does with a virtual event, because it saves time. ".

I thought it wasn't our role to do hybrid events, because our role at Semec is to put heads on pillows and people at restaurant tables, not to do digital things.

The debate also took place in Cannes. " A year ago, I wasn't the first to be convinced: I thought it wasn't our role to do hybrid events, because our role at Semec (Société d'économie mixte pour les événements cannois) is to put heads on pillows and people at restaurant tables, not to do digital. But it's inescapable. The digital push is real and it's going to get stronger. "says Didier Baudoin, General Manager of the Palais des Festivals. So Cannes is officially banking on this trend, to the extent that it has joined the international network Hybrid City Alliance. The inauguration of Studio Hi 5 follows on from this initiative, anticipating changing demand: " We asked ourselves a lot of questions, including: will there be as many people as before? Obviously, we came to the conclusion that there won't be. "says Jean-Michel Arnaud, President of the Palais des Festivals et des Congrès de Cannes. " There will be new capacity levels, with 20 to 25% people who for one, two or three years may no longer attend congresses and events in the same way. We have therefore carried out a thorough review of the reception, logistics and operations of the Palais. We thought about how we could absorb fewer people but reach more, in other words, how we could create new audiences and broaden the audience. The aim of digital technology is not to replace the presence of customers at trade fairs. On the contrary, it's about increasing the audience. It's a great way of attracting future participants and broadening the target audience. "adds Jean-Michel Arnaud.