Laurence Gaborieau, Managing Director of the IFTM (International French & Travel Market), met the press on 20 June at the beautiful and historic Maison des Polytechniciens in Paris to give an update on the direction and new features of the show, which will take place from 20 to 25 June. from 17 to 19 September in Hall 1 of Paris Expo Porte de Versailles. " The 2024 edition has been brought forward by almost three weeks compared with last year due to the impact of the Paralympic Games on the exhibition calendar." she begins. The main theme of this year's meetings, events and conferences will be " New sustainable horizons, combining our responsibilities "with ambition provide practical solutions "We're focusing on three themes: digital, the environment and inclusion.
With some fifty exhibitors, new technologies will once again be in the limelight with the Start-up Village and the a new Tec Zoneh focused on experience and artificial intelligence. " AI will of course be the focus of many conferences and presentations, with the aim of revealing and explaining its implications for tourism, MICE and business travel." adds the director of the show, which has a new visual identity.
Business travel conferences still very popular
The Business Club is already fully booked, with TMCs, rental companies, payment and expense management tools, and mobility solutions, among others, in attendance as every year... Un rich programme of conferences will be offered in its central agora, part of which will be organised by the Association française du travel management (AFTM), dealing in particular with "the issue of accommodation in business travel", "who is responsible for consolidation and who benefits from it" and "who is responsible for content accessibility". Barometers, in partnership between IFTM and EPSA on business travel and Kactus on MICE, will also be unveiled.
Alongside the trade show, the Carrefour des Experts Travel et MICE by GBTA France (Global Business Travel Association) will also be back for another season. When it comes to business travel, the topics covered will include calculating the carbon footprint via TMCs and OBTs (online booking tool) and the rise of the NDC via a round table bringing together airlines, TMCs, OBTs and buyers. And for MICE, best practices in negotiation and payment. Also on this subject, Sodexo will be holding a conference on Rex JO, the return on investment from the Olympic Games, as part of the Radar innovation conference.
Visitors can now prepare for their visit to the IFTM by clicking on making appointments via the Everywhere digital platform with the 1,500 exhibitors present. With, among others What's new at the Business ClubITA Airways, the agencies Jancarthier Voyages and Veloce.travel, SAP Concur and Ibanfirst... Of course, the destinations will be well represented, as they are every year, with Spain, Chile, Saint-Martin and Burgundy added to the programme this year. DMCs, tour operators, cruise operators and accommodation providers will also be present at the show, while some sixty airlines have been announced. Another new feature will be a Media Village bringing together audiovisual production companies and advertising agencies, with the aim of forging partnerships with the exhibiting brands.
Visitor satisfaction comes first
In terms of visitor numbers, Laurence Gaborieau hopes to do as well or better than the 30,350 recorded in 2023: " The important thing is not to increase the number of admissions, but to ensure that visitors and exhibitors are satisfied with the meetings held, the new contacts made, the discussions and conferences..." . In conclusion, the company boasts an NPS (Net Promoter Score) of on the rise in recent years. For several years now, however, we have been working hard to attract more leisure and business travel agents, the traditional target audience for France's biggest tourism trade show.
