French events industry association UNIMEV has welcomed the signing of the ‘Business Tourism and Events’ sector contract between the state, local authorities and partners in the events sector.
During the Interministerial Committee for Tourism chaired by the French prime minister in Angers, 24 July, Béatrice Cuif-Mathieu and Philippe Pasquet (pictured), co-presidents of UNIMEV, signed the ‘Business Tourism and Events’ contract alongside Eric Lombard, minister of the economy and finance; Nathalie Delattre, minister of tourism; Laurent Saint-Martin, minister of foreign trade and French nationals abroad; Christophe Béchu, mayor of Angers and representative of France urbaine and Franck Louvrier, representative of Regions of France and France Congrès et Evénements.
It is a contract that covers the next five years and is the result of extensive discussions between UNIMEV and France’s General Directorate of Enterprises. It also marks a crucial step in the recognition of French professional and sporting events and their partners, and affirms the strategic role of the sector’s players in the attractiveness and influence of France.
The French professional events industry represents an annual turnover of €10bn, according to UNIMEV, with tourism spin-offs of around €20bn. It is a sector that is also estimated to generate more than €34bn in business flows per year.
The new document recognises the significant contribution of events to the country’s tourism industry, as it provides for numerous actions aimed at updating event activity data and its spinoffs for the national economy. It will also broadly support sustainable development initiatives centred on ISO 20121, the Sustainable Innovative Destination Label, and the measurement of carbon emissions by industry players and partner communities.
The contract also plans to capitalise on the achievements of major events to centralise and develop institutional support for events, streamline visa procedures, and identify best practices facilitating the upgrading of the visitor experience.
The sector contract will be structuring to collectively promote the multiple innovations that permeate the value chain. In light of French expertise in event design and memorable encounters, the ambition of the contract is to establish events as a 7th sector of the ‘French Touch’.
Finally, it recognises, through a tripartite steering committee, the necessary co-operation between professionals in the sector, the state and local authorities to promote the expression of the sector’s know-how, at all levels, whether it is to animate local life in the territories or to fly the flag for France in matters of societal issues or economic diplomacy.
UNIMEV said it is keen to be part of this new framework of responsibility to help the sector’s stakeholders achieve success in the major events of tomorrow, including the Alps 2030 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games.
“This contract will notably support strategic events for the sectors and for the regions, streamline visa procedures, establish a new standard of visitor experience and promote innovations in the sector,” the association said.
Philippe Pasquet, co-president UNIMEV, said: “We are the French events team: a team that sets objectives, assumes its responsibilities and acts collectively, in the complementarity of our professions and our missions.” Pasquet added that the contract was “a recognition, a commitment, a method around a shared ambition: to continue to promote France, French talent and ‘the French Art of Living’ through events.”
The post UNIMEV signs new ‘Business Tourism and Events’ sector contract with French government appeared first on Exhibition News | The trade for shows..