What are the Aéroports de la Côte d'Azur Group's priorities for 2023? What are the objectives in terms of passenger traffic and airlines present in Nice?
Franck Goldnadel - The Group's priority is to harmonise support for the resumption of air trafficon all our platforms, with the environmental issues. La strategy is not the pursuit of volume at any price. This is why, on the one hand, we are undertaking work to extend our terminal 2We are also working to adapt our facilities to the quality of welcome we owe passengers and to the passenger flows that will continue to grow over the next few years. On the other hand, we are continuing our efforts in terms of decarbonation and reducing our environmental footprint. We have already reduced our direct emissions by more than 85% and are taking action to create new jobs. plant carbon sinks to move from the outdated era of compensation to one of sustainable absorption. We need to support the efforts of the airport's partners, first and foremost the airlines, and implement the means to help them reduce passenger emissions per kilometre. This is how we will solve the equation: more passengers, a few more aircraft, but at the same time a reduction in CO2 emissions. This is why we are we're not looking for a specific number of passengers.
Which destinations would you like to see develop in Nice by 2023?
Franck Goldnadel - In 2022, we will have regained a large part of our pre-pandemic network, which is already a great deal, since we will have offered around a hundred destinations, to 80% internationally, with even a record of nine long-haul flights, including five to North America. Following the war unleashed by the Russia in UkraineOur region will have missed out on direct links to these 2 countries, and it is unlikely that we will see them again in the coming months. Our efforts are focused on strengthening European links to keep pace with demand from travellers and leisure destinations around the Mediterranean basin. For the business destinationsWe are already connected to all the major economic and financial centres in Europe. Asia is also better served via the major hubs.
How do you see traffic developing in Nice in 2023? Do you see business travel making a strong comeback?
Franck Goldnadel - There are many uncertainties: the economic crisis, with inflation in the world's major countries, the energy crisis, which is weakening companies, and lastly the health crisis, which is not over and may still affect decisions and travel options, particularly for the business travellers. That said, our region is particularly attractive, with conference centres and major economic and financial centres. It also benefits from major events that attract both the general public and professionals. In 2023, some Rugby World Cup will be played in Nice. Prelude to 2024 Olympics and the arrival of the Tour de France. All these factors mean that we can reasonably expect continued, controlled growth in passenger traffic compared with 2022.
What are the strengths and uncertainties that could influence developments in Nice in 2023?
Franck Goldnadel - I've talked about the uncertainties and mentioned certain assets. But for business travellers, who are familiar with our region, we need to add an essential driving force: the cohesion of all those involved in tourism. Whether at the level of the Metropole, the Département or the Region, they all have the same vision, which the airport shares and promotes. The region wants to capitalise on its attractiveness to develop sustainable tourism. And I think that for the professionals who travel here, for the companies that hire them, this is essential. Having a quality hotels and committed to reducing its environmental footprint, be able to get around using environmentally-friendly solutionsIf you add the beauty of the landscape, you've got the ideal postcard for MICE.
What are the consequences of the measure to replace domestic flights with trains on fast routes? Will it encourage the development of the future multimodal hub at the airport?
Franck Goldnadel - Nice is a destination as exceptional as it is unique: the region is landlocked and there is no air link to or from Nice that can be transferred to rail in less than 2h30. And then some. So we are not directly affected by the abolition of a few air routes. The opening of the Nice airport TGV stationopposite terminal 1, responds to another challenge. That of smooth connectivity between the platform and the surrounding areain the broadest sense, i.e. from Northern Italy to Marseille. The modal shift from car to train is doubly beneficial, as passengers can travel to our terminals with greater peace of mind and without using an internal combustion engine. This multimodal hub which also includes daily trains and regular buses, I see it mainly as a great advantage for business travellers, who can leave the plane and travel to Sophia-Antipolis, Cannes or Monaco at their leisure. The experience of the tram, which will arrive on our platform in 2019, shows that the more developed, reliable, regular and intelligently designed the soft mobility offer is to connect the whole area, the more travellers, both leisure and business, will take it up and find it economically, ecologically and comfortably worthwhile.
