A close collaboration
Since 2012, Weyou Group - the trade fair organizer - has chosen Cannes and its Palais des Festivals et des Congrès to create and develop its "Meetings" concept. Combining business meetings and key account visitors, there will be eight Meetings in 2019. As a result, the number of places reserved is constantly increasing along with the number of nights generated. This growth is the result of close collaboration between Weyou and the Palais des Festivals et des Congrès in developing innovative events. The partnership has just been renewed for a period of five years from August 2018.
A partnership that lasts
In 2012, the Weyou Group launched the first Heavent Meetings at the Palais des Festivals et des Congrès in Cannes - an event that has become a gold standard in France and Europe for the event industry. Now, seven Meetings, real business facilitators, have emerged. The Palais des Festivals, acting as an event incubator, contributes to their development by offering quality infrastructure and technical services. From the outset a relationship of trust was established between the two partners.
B2B "Meetings" up sharply
The creation of one or two "meetings" per year testifies to the dynamism of these business meetings which began in Cannes. These events are characterized by pre-organized business meetings between exhibitors and key account visitors. Their size has increased year on year (up 27.2%) and they lengthened from 2 to 3 nights in 2018 generating an annual total of 29,400 nights (2018 forecast, compared to 16,130 in 2017) and attendance increased by 21.5%. The arrival in 2019 of an eighth event in Cannes, the Mobility Meetings, confirms this trend.
Cannes, ideally suited for professional events
The natural assets and proximity of the Palais des Festivals et des Congrès, hotels and restaurants make it favourable ground for holding and developing business events. As Romuald GADRAT, President of the Weyou Group, points out, "Cannes is a very pleasant destination at any time of the year and has a large number of hotels that adapt perfectly to our Meetings events combining business and networking".
Cannes continues to attract business people. "The renewal of this partnership once again reflects the attractiveness of the destination and the capacity of the Palais des Festivals et des Congrès to build customer loyalty through a range of quality services and the professionalism of our teams,” says its President Claire-Anne REIX.