Following in the footsteps of these two major international players, Nice and Cannes, neighbouring destinations have no inferiority complex. Better still: if Pierre-Louis Roucaries is to be believed, the cohabitation between the different convention centres has been completely stabilised. Chairman of Provence Côte d'Azur Events (PCE) and Chief Executive Officer ofMandelieu Tourist and Convention Bureauit ensures: " When I took over the chairmanship of PCE in 2012, it was a real struggle: most of the cities didn't want to work together. I travelled thousands of miles to convince everyone and what made us strong was the team, which demonstrated transparency and great intellectual honesty towards all its members. It's in our interest to win the business. Generally speaking, our destinations are in competition with other regions and other countries, especially for major events. And today, there isn't a convention centre in the region that isn't a member of Provence Côte d'Azur, all sizes included. ".
An abundance of goods would therefore not harm the Côte d'AzurThis time, wearing the hat of Deputy Chairman of theUnimevPierre-Louis Roucaries explains: " There are around 120 convention centres in France, and they were all built on the premise that they would attract international conventions, which is not true... A magnificent convention centre is not enough: if there are no four- and five-star hotels and an international airport, it won't be easy. These days, destinations are much more assertive about what they are. Just because you don't attract international conventions doesn't mean that your convention centre is useless. There is also a need for the region, the local area, which means that it may be justified. And then there are venues that perform a variety of functions, hosting cultural, sporting and professional events, and adding to the vitality of the region. You just have to accept what you are, ask yourself how your area is structured and look at the competition. That was my reasoning in the 2000s for the Mandelieu convention centre, when there was one every ten kilometres, and yet we still hosted 700 events and we're thinking about the future. "continues Pierre-Louis Roucaries.
This reflection, the Mandelieu-la-Napoule Convention and Exhibition Centre has not been afraid to put this into practice through technological experimentation. A mobile automatic disinfection gantry with temperature measurement can be supplied to event organisers on request. The streaming studio (50 m²) has been replaced by a "Social Network Room More modest in terms of space and cost... As for the destination's overall positioning in the MICE segment, it remains more green than ever to stand out from neighbouring offers. " Mandelieu is atypical, unlike any other destination on the Côte d'Azur, as it is not very urbanised: two thirds of the area is undeveloped. "says Odile Delannoy, Director of the Mandelieu-la Napoule Convention and Exhibition Centre. A symbol of this 'green touch' - and a powerful argument in its favour with event organisers - the golf Old Course even extends into the heart of the town. The second oldest course in France makes no secret of the fact that it wants to " breaking codes "This is a major step forward in the world of golf, with a strong focus on events. New initiatives are regularly tested to attract all types of events, such as the new space named the BAC (1,200 m²), both bucolic and unusual, opened in June on the banks of the Siagne.
Although Mandelieu has managed to avoid urbanisation and is determined to maintain its green ratio, the town has not resigned itself to stagnation - quite the contrary. L'change in the number of hotels is testimony to this. Renovating the hotel Mercurewhich reopened its doors this summer after eight months of works, will be completed in March. The establishment, which is very much geared towards business customers given its location, intends to emphasise a warm style while giving pride of place to digital technology, with a dematerialised reception.
Also during the summer, two new establishments were added to the destination's four-star range. L'Ilot du GolfeThe new hotel, part of the Best Western Premier Collection, is the result of a €13 million investment and two years of renovation work. It adds 41 rooms (including 2 suites) to the accommodation on offer, all with balcony or terrace. As for the CasaroseWith plans for a spa and seminar villas in the pipeline, this 56-bedroom establishment adds a new splash of colour to Mandelieu-la-Napoule's palette.
significant growth over the next ten years in tourism in general and business tourism in particular
Pierre-Louis Roucaries expects the range to expand even further, with " significant growth over the next ten years in tourism in general and business tourism in particular ". The General Manager of the Mandelieu Convention and Visitors Bureau continued: " This applies in particular to the hotel industry, even though two-thirds of the city's surface area is natural and will remain so. All the projects are located on the 700 hectares that have already been built on. ". Now with some 2,000 rooms excluding furnished tourist accommodation, the aim is not so much to increase this figure as to move upmarket: " the five or so upcoming projects are positioned on the four or five stars "says Pierre-Louis Roucaries, who predicts " certainly thearrival of a major international chainfour or five stars ".
