Marseille: second congress city in France
The ICCA (International Congress and Convention Association), the reference in international rankings, has just published its 2013 results. With 33 international congresses in 2013, Marseille is ahead of Lyon and Nice, and no. 2 in France, after Paris. Marseille has also leapt up the ratings internationally and is now 74th city in the world, up from 142nd in 2012!
Maxime Tissot, Director of the Marseille Congrès Convention Bureau and CFTAR President from 2006 to 2012: “In recent years, all Marseille professionals and Public Authorities have doubled their efforts to transform Marseille into an international congress city. Marseille’s position as a congress city is the result of a concerted political effort and long-term strategy, helping push Marseille into the international arena, where it is now competing with large European congress destinations”
As 2013 European Capital of Culture, Marseille attracted more events (457 in 2013 compared to 331 in 2012) and congress days (327,000 in 2013 compared to 283,000 in 2012).
International media coverage of the event also helped capitalise on this new image, now placing Marseille among the cities considered for hosting a congress or convention, which was not the case a few years ago.
