congress

The Japanese government continues to turn a deaf ear to calls from the country's business community. The community is calling for Japan to reopen completely, while the rest of Asia - with the notable exception of China - is once again welcoming international visitors. Japanese and foreign companies based in the country believe that...

Bologna's tourism industry has flourished in the shadow of a deep-rooted certainty among many Italians and Europeans. That of being a city totally focused on business. This is not untrue. With a population of 390,000, Bologna is one of Italy's major economic centres, with a dense network of companies in the agri-foodstuffs, electronics,...

The pandemic brought the curtain down on the world's major congresses for almost two years. But with the positive developments in the health climate, the veil is gradually being lifted on these key events for an entire sector. The Mobile World Congress, the first major event to be organised in this post-covid era, will bring together in Barcelona, from...

The title of top city in France - and seventh in the world - won by Lyon in the GDS Index 2021 (Global Destination Sustainability Index) could have marked the culmination of the destination's efforts on the long road to sustainable development. But this is not the case. On the contrary, Lyon's managers are accelerating their efforts with...

How is Bordeaux positioned today as a destination for congresses and corporate events? Amélie Dechenais - For the last four or five years, Bordeaux has been ticking more and more of the boxes when it comes to hosting major professional events, be they conferences and trade fairs, seminars or corporate conventions. Developments in air travel,...

Requests for postponements, cancellations of events: after a clear upturn from last summer onwards, La Rochelle has not escaped the new difficult period experienced by the events sector since mid-December. "From September to December, our activity was equivalent to what it was in 2019, and without that it would even have...

Like UNIMEV, which judged the measures recently taken by the government to be disproportionate, the events sector was concerned about the impact on its business of the reintroduction of capacity limits of 2,000 people for indoor events and 5,000 people for outdoor events. Interviewed on RMC's morning show,...

"Disproportionate". For UNIMEV, the Prime Minister's announcement to reintroduce gauges for large-scale events is hard to take. "In a year and a half of crisis, we have never seen such a sudden and disproportionate measure", said Renaud Hamaide and Pierre-Louis Roucaries, co-presidents of UNIMEV....

You recently took part in IBTM Barcelona: how did you feel about holding an international show in times of crisis, with increased regulatory constraints and fewer visitors? Mubarak Al Shamisi - I don't know how many participants there were at IBTM, perhaps a few fewer than before, but the main thing is...

Can you summarise the status and role of Provence Côte d'Azur Events? Héliéna Brégand - Provence Côte d'Azur Events (PCE) is the regional Convention Bureau, set up as an association, bringing together more than 200 professionals throughout the region, from Avignon to Menton. All the professions are represented: event venues such as palaces, hotels,...

What is the role of French Event Booster? Jeanne Choffé - French Event Booster is an accelerator for several types of player: for start-ups of course, who we help to access the events market, to grow, create jobs and create value for the end user. But we are also innovation partners...

The management of the Wisconsin Center recently launched the construction phase that will give the Milwaukee convention centre a whole new dimension. Scheduled for completion in the first quarter of 2024, the project will increase the building's surface area to more than 40,000 m², roughly double its current size....

What are the main advantages of the Valencia region as a MICE destination in general, and for the French market in particular? Juan Antonio Muñoz Ferrando - The Valencia Region is located on the Mediterranean coast of Spain, which has shaped its generally mild and sunny climate, its landscapes, its cuisine and its...

By inviting an audience of journalists to the Palais des Festivals last September, Cannes' MICE managers were keen to send out a clear message: the destination is ready for the return of events. What's more, the pause for reflection imposed by the crisis has enabled us to improve our offering...

The conference business will not escape the conquest of the West launched in Nice, as the dossier for the Parc des Expositions et des Congrès (Exhibition and Conference Centre) finally takes shape, replacing the Marché d'Intérêt National (MIN). "It's a project that's seen a lot of movement, especially over the last year, particularly in response to the major trends...

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. Both Chairman of Provence Côte d'Azur Events (PCE) and Managing Director of...

On the Côte d'Azur, as elsewhere, the concept of hybrid MICE has made a big impact in recent months. But in a destination blessed by nature, the question of the screen event may be posed differently... "There's no point in coming to Antibes to hold a digital event. There's no point in coming to Antibes to hold a digital event: you might as well stay...

As the gateway - and standard-bearer - for the Côte d'Azur's MICE sector, Nice has undergone a vast urban transformation over the last ten years, with the tramway network now serving the airport, and greenery taking over from the car. This transformation benefits locals and business tourists alike. And it is shifting the centre of gravity...

The quarterly results presented by the GL events group to some extent set the tone for the recovery in the MICE segment worldwide. A major player in the convention and corporate events sector, the French group posted growth of 19.2% over the first nine months of the year. Sales came to...

Lausanne is ready for the MICE upturn, and is equipping itself with new assets to make the difference in a sector that is more competitive than ever. The Olympic capital is in the process of inaugurating its brand new conference centre. Accessible since this summer, the Millennium is gradually opening up to meeting and event organisers. A number of spaces have already been opened...