Voted best Festivals and Events destination in the world in 2023, Cannes deploys an ambitious strategy for 12/12 tourism

2023 is a record year marked by the launch of new actions and exceptional figures:

– 72 confirmed professional events

– 80 cultural events

– The successful return of the MIDƐM with a prefiguration edition that gathered more than 9,000 spectators

– A renewed high-end hotel offer with the reopening of the Carlton, the openings of the Mondrian, the Canopy By Hilton…

– The redesign of the Palais des Festivals et des Congrès website

– And currently the Festival de Danse which continues to radiate throughout the Côte d’Azur with over 15,000 festival-goers ready to attend the 37 performances by 27 companies from 13 different countries to perform on 13 stages in the region (Antibes, Carros, Mougins, Fréjus, Grasse, Draguignan, Cannes, Nice……).

For all these reasons, Cannes has just been voted “World’s Best Festivals and Events Destination” for the second year running at the World Travel Awards 2023. Good news announced live from the awards ceremony in Dubai, by Bruno Desloques, General Manager of the Palais des Festivals et des Congrès de Cannes.

To capitalize on this recognition, the Palais des Festivals et des Congrès is deploying an ambitious and offensive action plan based on the following key areas of focus:

– Strong momentum with new MICE events signed for 2024:

• The Datacloud Global Congress from June 4 to 6
• 10 B2B One to One Meetings WEYOU shows committed each year until 2029
• ILTM confirmed until 2028
• World Congress for Education – AMA (February 27 and 28)

– Incubation and co-production of trade shows and congresses:

• The MIDƐM+ from January 24 to 27
• The 3rd edition of the World Artificial Intelligence Cannes Festival on March 5
• The 2nd edition of Health From Space in October

– A demanding cultural program:

• 30 dance, music and theater shows to be found on https://www.palaisdesfestivals.com/app/uploads/cannes-palais/2023/09/cannes-saison23-24-programme.pdf
• MIDƐM+24 LIVE from January 24 to 27: 7 concerts programmed in the Théâtre Debussy and the Grand Auditorium
• Festival des Jeux, the 1st ludic event in the French-speaking market, from February 22 to 25
• A rich summer season: 4 Jeunes Talents du Suquet evenings (July 2, 3, 5 and 6), 3 major summer concerts on the Palais terrace with 2 dates confirmed: James Blunt on July 15, Nile Rodgers and Chic on July 23, 1 ciné-concert The Kid-C. Chaplin and 6 fireworks displays (July 4, 14, 22 and August 7, 15 and 24).
• The Palais des Festivals sponsors or supports key summer events: the Bal des Fous (July 7, 13, 21, 28 and August 4, 11, 25 and 31), Plages Electroniques on August 16, 17 and 18, and the 6 concerts programmed at the Palais des Festivals by the Orchestre National de Cannes.

– Initiatives in favor of more responsible development:

• In 2023, the Palais des Festivals et des Congrès used 100% guaranteed green electricity of French and hydraulic origin. In 2024 and 2025, it will use 100% guaranteed green electricity of Provence-Alpes-Côte-D’azur photovoltaic origin.
• The installation of photovoltaic panels on the Rotonde Lérins, enabling the Palais to produce its own electricity and thus save money.
• The use of thalassothermal energy, which recovers heat from the sea to heat a building. This renewable energy source is constant and efficient, and has the advantage of reducing greenhouse gas emissions compared with fossil fuel-based energy sources.
• The implementation of cool roofing: a roof design technique that aims to reduce heat absorption by the building by reflecting more sunlight and emitting less absorbed heat. This offers a number of benefits: lower building interior temperatures, energy savings, reduced greenhouse gases and a smaller carbon footprint for buildings.
• The rollout of relamping: replacing lamps with more energy-efficient and effective light sources bringing energy savings, lower electricity costs, longer life and improved light quality.

– Numerous actions in priority markets for leisure tourism:

• 15 operations carried out in the American, Canadian, Brazilian and Mexican markets.
• Operation Rendez-vous à Cannes à Paris! April 25, 2024
• 3 operations in the Near & Middle East, and over twenty other multi-market operations.

– A digitalization program for the Palais des Festivals

• Almost a million euros invested in a digital itinerary with numerous screens

– An ambitious communications plan

• With the development of a network of ambassadors “the talents of Cannes”,
• The “Rendez-vous à Cannes” campaign with a billboard in The City (London) in March 2024, a media and social media plan with advertising.
• The redesign of the Cannes Convention Bureau and Cannes Ticket websites in 2024.