City destinations are in with the times
Marseille's image has improved enormously...
Maxime Tissot - That's right. This has been very clear since Marseille was named European Capital of Culture in 2013. This, and the opening of the Mucem, have enabled us to upgrade the offerings of the city's various museums. In 2013, we had almost 400 events.
Has the incentive market benefited from this discovery/rediscovery of the city?
MR T. - Yes, of course. It now represents just over 10 % of the tourist market. The French and British markets predominate, with increases of between 2 % and 3 % per year. Germany and Belgium follow. There is also growing interest from the Americans, with annual growth of between 4 % and 5 %.
Is the combined effect of the European Capital and the Mucem the only one behind this dynamic?
MR T. - And not just that! Generally speaking, I think that city destinations are in with the times. What's more, Marseille has excellent transport links. Both nationally and internationally, by rail and by air. In terms of hotels, we've doubled our capacity in 15 years, from 4,500 rooms to 9,000 today.
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- Interview with Maxime Tissot, Managing Director of the Marseille Convention and Visitors Bureau
