On the one hand, a priceless cultural heritage, with all the liveliness and appeal of city life; on the other, the invigorating air of the ocean, the great outdoors and the vast forests. Nature and history Bordeaux has everything it takes to establish itself as a top international tourist destination. These are arguments that are finding ever greater resonance at a time when the art of living and eco-responsibility are two key elements of today's business events.
The city of Bordeaux is a vast playground for team-building activities that are as much urban as they are natural. always respectful of social and sustainable issues. Business groups, for example, can enjoy a day out in the Bordeaux underground during a rally focusing on street art, organic produce and recycling. Away from the city, participants can discover the Arcachon Basin by electric boat or sailboat. The basin reveals all its authenticity on a gentle canoeing trip down the river Leyre, leaving the groups time for an oyster tasting at the charming port of Biganos, in an oyster farmer's hut.
In the same way, wine and gastronomy incentives are getting in on the sustainability act, with the world's best-known wine-growing region, for example, lending itself to organic wine rallies punctuated by locavore picnics. A "slow tourism which Saint Emilion has been converting for over 15 years, making bicycles available to visitors and creating walking trails. The UNESCO-listed town has added to this 'green' offer with tuk-tuk and electric bikes, donkey and horse rides...
The partners of the Bordeaux Convention Bureau have in their inventory a wide range of proposals that will unite participants around values that are essential for tomorrow's world. Working alongside all these players, the city is promoting these innovative and alternative initiatives, with the main aim of being a source of inspiration for eco-travellers and event organisers.
Among its strengths, Bordeaux can draw on a number of concrete elements to reduce the ecological footprint of professional meetingsThese include soft modes of transport, self-service bicycles, buses and trams, including a line linking the city centre to the airport from March 2023, as well as a wide range of eco-labelled hotels, committed caterers and environmentally-friendly event venues.
On the strength of all this, the Bordeaux Convention Bureau has published a guide to good practice for organisers to help them design eco-positive events, whether by favouring local and seasonal catering, reusable solutions or choosing venues that comply with the latest environmental standards.
A city awarded the "Innovative and Sustainable Destination" label
But the Bordeaux Metropolitan Convention and Visitors Bureau applies the same advice to itself that it gives to others. While the five convention centres of Bordeaux Events are all ISO 14 000 certifiedBordeaux Tourisme & Congrès has also been awarded ISO 20121 certification, recognising the responsible management of its events business.
Holder of the "Tourism and Disability" label and recently awarded the "Tourism and Disability" label. Innovative and Sustainable Destination "Together with four other pilot cities and partners of France Congrès et Evénements, the Convention and Visitors Bureau has set itself the following guidelines eight strong commitments such as reducing waste production and the carbon footprint of the destination, promoting alternative cultural and natural activities, and encouraging the consumption of local produce.
Alongside these predominantly environmental priorities, others have a more societal aspect Bordeaux Tourisme & Congrès is a guarantor of peaceful relations between the city's tourist industry, visitors and residents. Thanks to all these efforts, the city can pride itself on having integrated Top 10 worldwide in the Global Destination Sustainability Index. With an overall score of 78 %, Bordeaux came ninth out of 72 destinations audited, in recognition of its efforts to implement a sustainable tourism strategy.
However, while the city is pledging its eco-responsibility to event organisers, the tourist office is also looking after what makes people want to come to and return to Bordeaux: the quality and warmth of its welcome. To ensure that major congresses run smoothly and to optimise the experience of participants, the city already offered a number of advantages based on certain criteria, ranging from a welcome at the station or airport to a welcome reception at the town hall and the provision of tourist brochures and transport passes.
Bordeaux Tourisme & Congrès is currently working on the introduction of new benefits These include a hotel charter guaranteeing rates and availability, signed last March, city passes for 10 people per conference, and the event's flags and displays on the city's transport routes and places of interest. All of which should leave a lasting impression on people's memories.
Bordeaux Convention Bureau
12, cours du 30 juillet, CS31366. 33080 Bordeaux cedex
Tel: +33 (0)5 56 52 53 11
E-mail : conventionbureau@bordeaux-tourisme.com
