How have Marseille and Aix-en-Provence become incentive cities?
Some companies choose Marseille or Aix-en Provence to come to work for a day or half a day. They then offer their employees or clients sea voyages, inland excursions or the most historic discovery of these two different cities, but so complementary! The supply of boats in the Calanques, the wine routes in the vineyards of Aix, at the foot of the Sainte-Victoire and the places that stand out make the added value of this territory. Playing together is very important and the players in the sector are all committed to keeping the city attractive and attractive.
The hotel offer in Marseille is expanding. The city has 10,000 rooms in all categories. A Crowne Plaza hotel is due to be built soon, and the very modern Maisons du Monde hotel will be expanded later this year. As for gastronomy, there a whole proliferation of new tables in Marseille. This modern cuisine is as rich and varied as the stories of the men and women behind the stove. It is a celebration of the melting pot of Marseille and its different ethnic, social or geographical origins. Furthermore, the young restaurateurs who come to practice their art with us are very proud to participate in this gastronomic revival.
Marseille also attracts thanks to its cultural and recreational places, such as the Mx. This Pernod Ricard structure is a multi-concept place, bringing together the pastis museum, a bar, a restaurant and a large atrium built on the Docks, an old industrial building from the 19th century. Between 50 and 600 people can be accommodated there and thus lend themselves to multiple activities: mixology workshop, meeting, evening… La Cueva del Cosquer, a replica of the cave dating back to 27,000 years BC, and discovered in the coves, also is a must see. , which mixes fun visits and work, with its amphitheater with more than 400 seats.
Is business tourism still booming?
In 2020, some thought that face-to-face conferences would give way to remote ones. We never believed it. The very essence of a congress, a convention or a seminar is to come together physically. Certainly, the participants talk about work, but not only. They also get together in a coffee break to talk about themselves, their family, their development… It is these human relationships that allow us to create social ties. In my opinion, this sector of activity still has a very bright future ahead of it, because this human contact is essential and will continue to exist.
On the other hand, of course, digital has acquired an important place and must be taken into account. During a cardiology congress, for example, an American scientist can participate thanks to the videoconference. Similarly, a student who does not have the means to travel can follow you remotely. That’s why today’s clients want to offer a hybrid event and have their chosen venue equipped to record and stream their event content online.
What results for Marseille?
In 2019, there were 1,000 business tourism operations in Marseille. In 2020, two thirds of the scheduled congresses, seminars or conventions did not take place, but some were postponed to 2021 and 2022. As of today, we have absorbed almost all the postponed events, and we are still registering many requests for the last quarter of 2022.
Likewise, the agenda for the next 3 years is filling up very well. Like anywhere else, bookings were sparse in 2020. Visitors were concerned about putting down a deposit that they wouldn’t get back in the event of cancellation. All professionals then endeavored in the conditions of cancellation or postponement, without penalty. Some hotels have retained this commercial flexibility, which has allowed us to carry out numerous transactions. Confidence is already recovered in the sector.
In addition, special attention will be paid to Marseille during the 2024 Olympic Games. The city will host sailing events, skate training and soccer matches. For 20 years there has always been something going on there, and that is what makes Marseille a dynamic city.
How do you build trust with your customers?
Our visitors arrive in Marseille through the train station and the airport, two places where reception points await them. It is a special attention of our convention office to welcome you. A whole team is then at the service of the organizers to facilitate their task. We put ourselves in the shoes of these potential clients who must study several destinations to organize an event. We fully understand your expectations so that you quickly get an idea of what Marseille could bring you.
Therefore, we help them find a place and hotel availability to make their operation viable. We put you in contact with a whole chain of service providers (accommodation, restaurants, catering, etc.) to set up your event from A to Z. We also associate our incoming agencies to set up events made in Marseille: petanque, track game , sea voyage, etc.
Also greatly appreciated is the availability of the convention bureau, as well as their responsiveness to pricing issues and the availability of the various locations mentioned. Site visits are pre-arranged with the client. We even validate his ideas at his side to ensure that your event will be carried out as he wishes.
How is this business tourism configured?
When an operation does not exceed 100 people, a client wants to book a single hotel for convenience. Our role is to check availability with hoteliers and, above all, to select establishments that also offer meeting rooms. This detail is very important for a person who wants to organize a multi-day seminar. If the mornings are dedicated to work, we can offer incentive activities for the afternoons.
All the customer has to do is choose between the hotels offered and the price. He gives us the budget for it and it’s up to us to run it the best we can. For events gathering 500 to 1,000 people, the choice of venue is between Parc Chanot or Palais du Pharo. On the accommodation side, we guide the client according to the operation and the type of congress.
Finally, of course we take care of the international congresses. The client can count on us to draft his request with him, and we respond precisely to his specifications: places of restoration, number of hotel rooms available, operation … We take care of all the logistics to save time. You don’t have to visit all the hotels, discuss retrocession deadlines… All you have to do is organize your event and select the places you think are most suitable from our selection.
What about the big sports competitions?
Marseille will host Rugby World Cup 2023. In fact, it is the organizers who manage the relations between the Vélodrome stadium and the International Rugby Federation, but for our part, we will have to play the role of mediator with different hotel groups to plan accommodation for VIP and journalistic clients. We are going to meet the hoteliers to discuss, in particular, the payment and cancellation conditions. Regarding the accommodation of the fans, we can also give some ideas to the organizers.
Is business tourism compatible with ecotourism?
Yes, defending a green sensibility. Starting with ourselves! When we receive exploration clients, we favor low-carbon visits, with a hybrid taxi, a Green Key hotel and an Ecotable restaurant. In addition, the Marseille Metropolitan Tourism and Congress Office joined the GDS-Index in 2021, with a score of 51% in the first year. This seal, of great importance at an international level, demonstrates our determination to implement CSR measures for increasingly responsible business tourism.
Before us, the Palais des Congrès and Parc des Expositions in Marseille has been an example in this field, as it was the first facility in France to obtain ISO 20121 certification.
In addition, our goal is to quickly reach 75% for the GDS index. To do this, we intend to raise awareness throughout the congress organization chain, so that each actor is respectful of sustainable development, inclusion, etc. Finally, the energy transition is indeed a working angle for us. We want to offer increasingly eco-responsible services, both in restaurants and in hotels and transport. It is therefore a whole sector that we must raise awareness to preserve the environment, the Mediterranean Sea and our Calanques.
This content was produced with SCRIBEO. The BFMBUSINESS editorial team was not involved in the production of this content.
Source: BFM TV
