Congress: a cascade of openings and renovations in France

Coach Omnium, a research and consultancy company specialising in business tourism, lists nearly 200 establishments in France that can host major professional events, including 120 convention centres, 60 exhibition centres and around 20 multimodal facilities. This density of facilities makes France one of the world's leading players on the MICE market. Published in May 2018, the latest report from the ICCA (International Convention and Congress Association) confirms this position. Based on the results for 2017, Paris is the world's second most popular destination for congresses organised by international associations, ex aequo with Vienna, the Austrian capital, but behind Barcelona.

Since 2010, Paris has been able to boast uninterrupted top-two finishes in this benchmark ranking. While the french capital has lost pole positionHowever, in terms of the number of delegates it welcomed, it was the leader. This is because, Paris hosted 190 conferences meeting ICCA criteria, representing 112,000 participants. The number of delegates doubled thanks to the presence of major international events. There were 22 international congresses in 2017, compared with 14 in 2016. Seven of these attracted more than 5,000 delegates, compared with just two the previous year. Paris is therefore continuing to build on its momentum and is strengthening its position as a major convention city by hosting six new major events in 2018, while also winning the organisation of large-scale events such as ESC Cardio in 2019 and the International Congress of Nutrition-ICN in 2025.

The Union française des métiers de l'événement (Unimev) confirms the attractiveness of Paris and the surrounding region Of the 2,800 conferences held in France each year, 976 are held in the Paris Region. These events organised in the Paris Region generate €1.1 billion in spin-offs, excluding business flows, out of a national total of €1.7 billion. These figures confirm, if anyone was still in any doubt, the importance of this market to the economy.

This explains why the sector is currently booming in France. Perrine Edelman, deputy director of Coach Omnium, emphasises "after a period of stagnation, a large number of new facilities have been created in recent years throughout France. We are in a dynamic of openings and renovations". This is also confirmed by Unimev, for whom "2017 was a strong year, with over €300 million invested in France's host venues. This amount is largely linked to the renovation of Expo Porte de Versailles by Viparis.".

In recent years, more than thirty sites have opened, been renovated, undergone extensions or are at an advanced project stage, such as Pex in Toulouse. While some fifteen new venues are expected to open by 2025, six new centres were inaugurated in 2017 and 2018: the Valenciennes convention centre, the Chapeau Rouge convention centre in Quimper, the Pex convention centre in Toulouse and the Pex convention centre in Toulouse. Jacobins Convent in Rennes, the Dôme in Carcassonne, the Paris Saclay Convention Centreand the Robert Schuman Centre of Metz.

A 2018 study by Coach Omnium shows that "the trend is for convention centres to broaden and multiply their activities, making them more versatile than in the past."In order to optimise their occupancy rate by hosting both professional and general public events, they are becoming increasingly multifunctional. This means extremely modular spaces with variable geometryWe're also offering new services such as catering, entertainment and reservations...

For example, in 2021, the future CO'Met - Centre Orléans Métropole - will offer an innovative concept. Built close to the city's Zénith, it will include a 12,000 m²a 4,800 m² and an exhibition centre that can be extended to 33,000 m². To support the project, a convention bureau, Orléans Convention, was set up in April 2018. For Axel de Beaumont, Director of Orléans Val de Loire Tourisme, "CO'Met is designed as a unique venue in France, just one hour from Paris. These high-performance, innovative facilities will enable the Centre-Val de Loire region to host events of national and international stature, positioning Orléans Métropole in the full range of MICE events, as well as cultural and sporting events.".

Fully modular and multifunctional, the future venue will be able to host a wide range of events simultaneously. On the technical side, Axel de Beaumont points out that "The convention centre and exhibition centre will be equipped with state-of-the-art facilities, such as the sports hall, designed as a TV studio. Optimum performance will demonstration of an innovative 3.0 digital projectThe new centre will feature the latest technologies in user services, accessibility management, interaction between the different areas of the facility, and event production and broadcasting."

The largest in Europe

This desire for complementarity also underpins the ongoing modernisation of the Paris Expo Porte de Versailles siteWork on this project, which began in 2015, will be completed in 2025. The first phase was completed in 2017 with the inauguration of the Paris Convention Centre, Europe's largest convention centre. In addition to the existing Paris Convention Centre, it can now host the world's biggest events. Events with more than 30,000 participants have already confirmed their arrival in Paris, and congresses are planned up to 2022.

The Paris Convention Centre brings together exhibition halls, meeting and conference rooms, fixed and mobile catering units, event rooms, as well as a green terrace and a large car park. Its plenary hall, the largest in Europe, has an openwork roof, allowing conferences to be held in daylight. What's more, all the conference rooms are pre-equipped with modern, intelligent and adaptive loudspeakers to deliver high-quality sound. "Digitalisation, innovation and the modularity of our venues are at the heart of our concerns. The Paris Convention Centre aims to host 75 events over the next five years, including 55 congresses."says Michel Dessolain, Managing Director of Viparis.

Alongside this modularity, we are also seeing a return of convention centres to the heart of cities, with places that are fully integrated into the urban landscape and the daily lives of citizens. This is the case in Le Havre, Reims, Nancy and the Robert Schuman conference centre in Metz, which opens in September. Designed by the Wilmotte & Associés agency, it is located at the foot of the TGV station, opposite the Centre Pompidou-Metz and at the heart of a rapidly changing district. With a surface area of 18,000 m², a 1,200-seat auditorium, 16 sub-committee rooms for 20 to 400 people and 4,300 m² of exhibition space, the new convention centre forms a link between the modern Amphitheatre district and the city's historic centre.

Another very clear trend - sustainable development - is emerging, as a quarter of French convention centres are working towards labelling and/or certification. This is the case of the Cité des Congrès de Nantes, a leader in this field. Since 2003, it has been collecting green certifications (Iso 20121) and awards. In 2012, for example, it was awarded the Gold Quality Standard by the International Association of Congress Centres (AIPC). This is the highest level of certification based on quality standards, and the Cité des Congrès de Nantes is the only French centre, out of 29 in the world, to have achieved this distinction! The venue is also one of 49 French companies selected for a year by the French Environment and Energy Management Agency (Ademe) to experiment with ways of reducing energy and materials consumption.

In the 2017 ICCA world rankings, Nantes came 141st. The city hosted 18 international congresses, 11 of which met ICCA criteria. For 2018, no fewer than 132 events have been confirmed, including 24 on an international scale, such as the congress of the French-speaking diabetes society. That's 4,600 participants over four days! The City of Nantes is also renowned for its expertise in digital solutions, which earned it the special 2017 "Innov'Tech" award presented by France Congrès.

Eco-exemplarity

Similarly, Lille Grand Palais aims to be an eco-emplar, as does the Cité Internationale des Congrès in Lyon. ISO 14001 certified since February 2013, this venue is located in the eponymous district and is part of a sustainable development programme. From its design to its construction, the Lyon convention centre applies an environmental policy with a focus on renewable energy: rainwater harvesting by the 2,000 m² gardens, use of underground seepage water for heating and cooling buildings, 96 m² solar panels generating 15,000 kWh, with an environmental saving of 1.4 tonnes of CO2 per year... At the same time, all staff are made aware of the importance of eco-attitude, in particular the priority use of eco-products - biodegradable or recyclable products, vegetable-based inks - and selective sorting, with 46 % of waste recycled in this way.

This ecological spirit also inspires the Atlantia conference centre in La Baule. Set in the heart of a pine forest, just a two-minute walk from the ocean, it is HQE (high environmental quality) certified and has been committed to sustainable development since 2011. In 2015, it was the first venue in the region to be awarded ISO 20121 certification, the international benchmark for responsible event management. As part of the same commitment to the environment in Monaco, the Grimaldi Forum is constantly improving its facilities. its "green" performance. ISO 14001 certified since 2008, in 2019 the Grimaldi Forum will be equipped with a photovoltaic power plant on its roof, the largest and most powerful in the Principality, making it Monaco's leading producer of clean energy.

In Nancy, the Prouvé conference centre, opened in the Nancy Grand Cœur eco-neighbourhood, is also a benchmark, with its 1,200 m² photovoltaic panels. As soon as it opened in 2014, its manager Grand Nancy Congrès & Evènements introduced a CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) policy. This policy has paid off, as the Centre Prouvé has joined the select circle of convention centres to receive ISO 20121 certification. Another special feature is the building itself: a former postal sorting centre built in the 1970s by architects Jacques-André and Claude Prouvé.

Received like popes

The Centre de Congrès Prouvé is not the only convention centre to open its doors in a historic building. In Avignon, conference delegates are meeting in a monument listed as a Unesco World Heritage Site: the Palais des Papes! In 2017, 159 events, including 35 congresses, were held within its walls. Gala evenings were held in the magnificent rooms, some of which were enhanced by the privatisation of the Pont d'Avignon. Séverine Partouche, organiser of the 2018 UNGE (union nationale des géomètres experts) National Meetings, held there on 1 and 2 September, attests to the venue's appeal to businesses.^er and 2 February: "The strengths of the destination and the convention centre: the city, its accessibility, logistics, facilities and the quality of the welcome. The Palais des Papes is a venue that attracted our members. The modular spaces were well suited to our needs. The large audience allowed us to serve meals in the middle of the exhibition... Everything was perfect!"

Built in the XIV^e The Convent of the Jacobins in Rennes, which has been completely restored to welcome conference delegates, is another example of this spirit of linking history and professional events. It took more than four years to transform the site a stunning congress centre combining heritage and modernity. Companies can meet here in an authentic cloistered setting, while benefiting from ultra-modern facilities. In a different vein, but still in the same spirit, in Pau, the Palais Beaumont is housed in a magnificent Belle Epoque building, set in a wooded park facing the Pyrenees. Its 8,500 m² modular spaces can accommodate conferences of up to 800 people. The Palais du Pharo in Marseille is another charming venue. Built by Napoleon III for his wife Eugénie, its facades overlook the Mediterranean and the Old Port.

As for the Palais des Festivals et des Congrès in Cannes, it combines the appeal of a place of prestige with the charm of a city. international reputationThe charm of the seaside and the practicality of a town centre... all in the space of a handkerchief! "We only host B-to-B events, and the proximity of the various venues - hotels, restaurants, shops, beaches - is an advantage: participants meet and talk to each other outside the conference rooms."says Régis Faure, the town's tourism director.

However, while convention centres have spread geographically throughout the country, there are a number of reasons for this. a high concentration in the Île-de-France region which brings together more than 25 % of French conventions and around major cities such as Marseille and Lyon. Lyon jumped 12 points in the ICCA world rankings, taking 58th place.^e with 43 congresses organised, the 30^e position in Europe and second nationally. Marseille is ranked 80^e in the world and third in France with 37 congresses.

According to Coach Omnium, there is also a disparity in terms of activity depending on the location and size of the building: only 46 % are occupied for more than 200 days a year. On the other hand, eight out of ten establishments host events for fewer than 400 people on average. Despite this, France offers a wide range of convention centres meeting all the needs of organisers, for large-scale events as well as smaller ones, with sites that are sometimes atypical, others more traditional and some completely green.