Big interview
over 1,000 participants and loyal clients
now account for 43% of the total
overnight business tourism stays.
Our main markets are France,
European markets and North America.
209 rooms and suites after four years of
refurbishment. The Columbus Monte
Carlo was also fully renovated last year.
The Principality will launch a new
offshore urban extension. The project
includes the construction of an
eco-district with housing, public parking
and harbour with pedestrian quays, a
park, coastal promenade, as well as an
extension to the Grimaldi Forum
convention centre that will increase its
exhibition capacity by 50%, with an
additional surface of nearly 6,000sqm.
This new area will mean bigger
tradeshows can be accommodated and
more events combined at the same time.
A new destination guide lists all the
activities visitors can find when staying
in Monaco. It will be online on our
re-designed website in May.
Tell us about the new focus on digital
transformation at the bureau and the
new incubator and accelerator
start-ups, the Monacotech.
Monaco made a digital shift in 2018 with
the creation of the Digital Transition
Office. The Principality is starting an
ambitious plan of digital transition
including smart city, e-government,
digital security and digital law and
innovation (such as blockchain) as well as
cross cutting issues such as e-health,
e-education and e-communication.
The MCB is working in line with this
strategy, including strong
communication via social media,
paperless policy and more digital
experiences at tradeshows.
It is worth mentioning Monacotech - a
start-up incubator and accelerator
established by our Government in late
2017 in partnership with Monaco
Telecom and Xavier Niel and designed to
support innovative start-up projects and,
long-term integrate successful new
companies into the local economy.
Our big Day One event, which first
took place in November brought together
CEOs of large multinationals, start-up
representatives and academics to create a
vision and action plan for the new
economy. The new country Chief Digital
Officer presented a three-year vision
plan for digitalising the country.
The event was created by Denis
Jacque, French tech pioneer and
entrepreneur who will also organise a
second edition of Day One at the
Grimaldi Forum in November 2019.
Record year
It was a record year for business tourism
in 2018 and Communications
Technology, Pharmaceutical and the
Medical Sector and Banking, Finance
and Insurance represent 50% of total
MICE activity.
In 2018, 30 major repeat events were
noted, half of which were attended by
You are one of the first destinations
to use influencer marketing
strategies. Tell us about that.
Social networks and influencers allow us
to reach a large target of professionals on
a daily basis and create lots of
commitment, specially at tradeshows.
It is an essential way to promote a
destination these days, especially when
you are a small one. It is also the only
way to reach out the generation of
millennials who will be tomorrow’s
decision-makers.
We have worked with Irina Graf,
creator of the MICE Blog, who also
made a case study on the Day One event.
We are launching a new video at 2019
IMEX Frankfort which will highlight
how the destination is committing to
sustainability.
What are the major changes you have
seen in the MICE business?
They are all changes caused by web
revolution:
• Digital and innovation are dramatically
changing our jobs on a daily basis:
communication, marketing, client
relationship to list a few. You have to
adjust very quickly otherwise you could
lose attractiveness and market share
• Simultaneously with the digital
revolution, clients are looking for
experience and authenticity. Organising
an event is not only booking venues and
handling logistics. You need content,
experience and engagement for all
participants. Those are the new elements
of success.
Organisers want customisation and
access to high levels of specialisation.
They also want destinations with legacy
and heritage in specific fields.
MICE professionals look for elements
of the destination brand to resonate with
who they are and what they stand for.
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What advice
would you give a
young meetings
professional
starting out
their career
today?
If you choose to
make a career in
meeting
industry, you
should first do
this job with
passion, and you
have to love
human
relationships.
Technology is
just a tool. The
core of our
business is
people: clients,
employees,
partners,
service
providers. You
have to make
them work all
together all the
time.
If you want to
make a career
and reach
leadership
position, you
have to step out
of your comfort
zone, and
question
yourself often.
You need
objectives,
because when
you reach them,
it brings a huge
satisfaction and
desire to go
further.
CONFERENCE & MEETINGS WORLD
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