In 2019, the Paris Region hosted 2,857 events at its dedicated venues, including 434 trade fairs, 1,192 congresses and 1,231 business events and shows, examinations-training courses and various other events, attracting nearly 13 million visitors in total. The trade fair and congress sector alone generated 5.5 billion euros in economic revenueand 81,735 jobs, « full-time or equivalent »
Sources : CCI Paris Ile-de-France
For several years now, the Paris Region Tourist Board has been actively involved in this major area of industry for the development and economic attractiveness of the Paris Region. It has, most notably, managed and financed the Welcome Pack for Trade Fairs and Congresses in the Paris Region since 2009, in partnership with Viparis.
In 2019, 42 professional events, 23 trade fairs and 19 congresses and corporate events will benefit from the Welcome Pack Paris Region, with its services being used for a total of 150 days.
The Welcome Pack is a scheme that provides welcome services at airports, free transfers by shuttle bus to and from the event venues and other facilities dedicated to assisting visitors, exhibitors and delegates. The partnership between the CRT and Viparis has been bolstered since 2015 thanks to the establishment of a tripartite agreement with Aéroports de Paris.
On the 22nd November 2017 the Paris Convention Centre, Europe’s largest congress venue at Porte de Versailles, was inaugurated. This new site, complementing the Palais des Congrès de Paris, will allow Paris and its region to host the largest congresses in the world and offers tailor-made configurations. With a plenary hall seating 5,200 linked to 44,000m² of exhibition space, the Paris Convention Centre has been a successful gambit: international congresses and events with over 30,000 participants are already programmed and planned up until 2022.
