Functions of Paris Convention and Visitors Bureau - Research Paper Example

Functions of Paris Convention and Visitors Bureau Functions of Paris Convention and Visitors Bureau Introduction Tourism is one of the high foreign and local earners in different countries. Currently, towns and cities especially in Europe and America are embracing different strategies in developing and facilitating tourism. For example, cities have bureaus and associations aimed at developing and supporting the tourism industry. In addition, cities and towns are providing and encouraging development of adequate and quality facilities for holding meetings, conferences and exhibitions that are significant in attracting visitors and tourists. Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions (MICE) form the prosperous sectors within the tourism industry with a rapid rate of growth compared to other sectors in tourism. It is widely known for its capability of drawing a large amount of revenues to a city or town either directly or indirectly (Girod, 2009). Taking the case of Paris, the Paris Convention and Visitors Bureau plays an important role in facilitating and marketing the city to potential visitors and tourists through its contribution to the MICE industry For instance, Paris city receives more than twenty seven million visitors annually. Visitors enjoy a unique culture, business and lifestyle as they learn the interesting history of France (Eibtm, 2014). Paris Convention and Visitors Bureau refer to a joint initiative established by the Paris Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Paris City Council. The bureau provides several MICE services that encourage visitors such as business people, Congressmen and tourists to Paris. First, the Paris Convention and Visitors Bureau welcome numerous visitors in different strategic points, in the busiest locations, in the Paris city (Prince, 2008). This makes visitors impressed by the warm welcome and encourages them to visit the city often. Secondly, the bureau enhances unity and cohesion among service providers in Paris by bringing institutional and professional partners together to organize and plan for joint actions that improve the image of Paris as a good global tourism city. It represents Paris both at international and national levels. As an administrative body, the Paris Convention Bureau arranges for site inspections to improve services provided to visitors (Coffey, 2006). The bureau also gives incentives by planning and organizing journalists’ press visits in other countries across the world. This ensures that journalists promote Paris and its image appropriately. In most cases, the Paris Convention and Visitors Bureau represent Parisian tourism professionals’ views in dealings and contacts with institutions and tourism based organizations (Roll, 2011). Analysis of German and France motor sectors The automobile sector is among the most important and critical sectors in the global economy. In fact, the automobile industry is the main pillar of the global economy since it facilitates macroeconomic growth, innovation, technological advancement and stability in both developing and developed countries. Consequently, the business stimulates and speeds the rate of industrialization in many places. In addition, automobile industry stimulates growth of other industries such as the insurance industry. Current, the industry is rapidly growing and developing as the technological and innovational levels increases all over the world (ATKearney, 2013). Competition levels between different manufacturers in different countries are also high and demanding. According to the OICA production report, the world is producing about 87 million automobiles where China, United States, Japan and Germany dominate the market respectively. European nations are also completing to earn a high market share of automotive. Germany is currently the leading automotive producer in Europe with sales of 5649269 units of automotive while France produces about 1.9 million units per year (OECD, 2011). The automobile industry is among the main sectors supported and controlled by the Paris Convention Bureau in Paris. The industry plays a significant role in attracting large numbers of visitors to Paris city. Many visitors visit Paris for business options mainly on the automobile industry and other businesses. The sectors facilitate the development of other sectors like transport and tourism. There are two main automobile producing countries in Europe. These include Germany motor sector and France motor sector (Ernst & Young, 2013). As the origin of the first four stoke combustion engine, Germany maintains a unique position in global production of automotive models and brands. The country produces 17 percent of the total passenger cars, in the world. It is also the largest Europe’s auto market and producer of vehicles that hold the largest number of OEM plants in Europe. Germany is well-known for the high production of classy and luxurious cars globally. Major models produced in Germany include BMW, Audi and Mercedes. Currently, BMW model dominates the market and production in the German automotive industry (Libby, 2012). These models have higher ranks compared to other models. These luxury cars are appropriate for carrying important people such as administrators, business people, researchers, visitors and tourists (Krauss, Wittke &MacDougal, 2010) France is also a pioneer in automotive production globally. It is holding the tenth place in the production of passenger vehicles globally and third in Europe after Spain and Germany. Major players in France motor sector include Peugeot, Citroen, Renault, Alpine and Bugatti. According to automotive production statistics in Europe, France have less production of automotive compared to Germany. France’s automotive production is about 1.9 million units (OICA report, 2013). Comparing the two motor sector, Germany motor sector is the most relevant sector that would earn Paris Convention Bureau due to various reasons. First, Germany made cars such as BMW, Audi and Mercedes are reliable, durable, comfortable and classy as opposed to French cars. Secondly, Germany luxury cars like BMW are famous and most preferred visitors who visit Paris (Guardian, 2014). Eventually, the more visitors will be frequent visitors hence increasing revenue. Therefore, the Paris Convention Bureau should purchase and use German made cars to carry visitors. Types of MICE demand in Paris The global market can provide several demands that are affordable and applicable in Paris city. Currently, the Paris city is well-known of its meeting services worldwide. For instance, it is the second in international meeting ranks by cities. This is after Vienna city in Russia. Secondly, the city holds the third place as a business destination. In 2009, there were about 3.8 million business trips in France most of which were held in Paris. Paris also organizes and holds events that attract numerous visitors. Incentives are available for organizers and journalists in Paris. These occur as trips to other cities to learn and get experience on how to boost MICE products in Paris. In addition, Paris carries out online services like provision of travel reviews and information on travelling channels. In 2008, France was in the third place in the provision of online business. Being the capital of France, Paris takes a significant part in providing travelling information to potential visitors like business people (Porter, 2009). However, the world holds more demands that are untapped by Paris. First, Paris should diversify and offer wide range exhibits to attract a large number of visitors. Purchasing and using German made vehicles will create high demand of automotive shows and exhibits. These shows and exhibits should be built and established by the City Council of Paris in partnership with the Paris Convention Bureau. Increasing the number of shows and exhibits based on marketing German made cars will contribute greatly to the promotion of these automobiles. Apart from increasing the market of automobiles shows and exhibits, purchasing and using German made automobiles will create and increase demand for more well-developed and classic meeting and conferencing areas in Paris. Using German cars in transporting visitors in different places, in Paris will encourage more visitors especially leaders and business people to visit Paris. Therefore, there will be high demand for executive conferencing and meeting areas to accommodate executive visitors such as Presidents, Ministers and business people. Marketing plan to achieve MICE demand objectives in Paris To satisfy the MICE market of developing more shows and exhibits of vehicles, the Paris Convention Bureau and the Paris Council should undertake several steps. First, the Paris Convention Bureau should offer financial support and incentives to automotive manufacturers and dealers in Paris in order to hold successful and outstanding exhibits (CBI Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 2011). The bureau should offer opportunities to potential dealers to open new branches in Paris. This will increase the production and delivery of automobiles in Paris. Secondly, the Paris Convention Bureau should draft schedules and plans of holding automobile shows and exhibits regularly on the new models and brand manufactured by several companies (Alexiou, 2011). This will be achievable through proper communication with different car dealers and manufacturers worldwide. For example, automotive manufacturers and dealers should register annually with Paris Convention Bureau in order to display their automobiles in annual shows and exhibits in Paris. These exhibits will improve the MICE industry as more business oriented people and car dealers will be visiting the city frequently. Thirdly, the officials of the Paris Convention Bureau should develop good relations with automobile manufacturers from other countries like Germany and Russia. They should develop direct contacts with prominent manufacturers in Germany and encourage them to market their new brands of automobiles in shows and exhibits organized by the Paris Convention Bureau. This will widen their MICE market as more visitors visit Paris for price negotiations, purchases, research and delivery of automobiles. Eventually, the number of visitors will increase, therefore, increasing the amount revenue collected from MICE business in Paris (Peters, 1996). As a better way of supporting and improving automobile shows and exhibits, the Paris Convection Bureau should coordinate with the Paris Council in providing proper education to present and potential event organizers in Paris. This will raise the service quality of automobiles shows and exhibits in Paris. Eventually, high quality services provided to visitors during automobile shows and exhibits will encourage more visitors especially buyers, dealers and manufacturers of automobiles. Advertisement is a strong and significant tool that would be appropriate in supporting expansion and development of automobiles shows and exhibits in Paris. The Paris Convention Bureau should take advertisement measures as television, newspaper and radio adverts of automobiles shows and exhibits in Paris. In addition, the bureau should advertise shows and exhibits in social media to encourage more visitors to attend shows and automobile exhibits. Lastly, the State government of Paris in collaboration with Paris Convention Bureau should hold automobile competition events involving prominent models and brands of vehicles worldwide. Competitions will play a significant role in supporting automobile exhibits and shows since winning vehicles in the competition would be effectively displayed in shows due to the increased demand of those vehicles. Therefore, automobile competitions will encourage automobile shows and exhibits, therefore encouraging more visitors in Paris. References Alexiou, J. (2011). Public Convention and Visitors Bureau. Paris for Dummies. Hoboken, N.J. Wiley Pub. Inc. ATKearney (2013). The contribution of the Automobile Industry to Technology and Value Creation. Retrieved from http://www.atkearney.com/documents/10192/2426917/The+Contribution+of+the+Automobile+Industry+to+Technology+and+Value+Creation.pdf/8a5f53b4-4bd2-42cc-8e2e-82a0872aa429 CBI Ministry of Foreign Affairs (2011). Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, Exhibitions (MICE) in France. Retrieved from http://www.cbi.eu/system/files/marketintel/2011_Meetings_Incentives_Conferences_Exhibitions_MICE_in_France.pdf Coffey, B. (2006). Incentives & Meetings. http://miceplaces.com/fileadmin/pdf/imimagazine200606.pdf Eibtm (2014). Paris Convention Bureau. The Global Meetings & Events Expro. Retrieved from http://www.eibtm.com/en/Exhibitors/209559/Paris-Convention-Bureau Ernst & Young (2013). The Eurozone and the automotive sector. Retrieved from http://www.ey.com/Publication/vwLUAssets/The_Eurozone_and_the_automotive_sector/$FILE/Eurozone_ExecSmmry_7June13.pdf Forbes (2012). 2012 Special report: Luxury Automotive Outlook. Retrieved from automotive- http://images.forbes.com/forbesinsights/StudyPDFs/automotive-outlook_report.pdf Guardian (2014). Carmaker BMW keeps luxury top spot with record 2013 sales. Retrieved from http://www.theguardian.com/business/2014/jan/13/bmw-luxury-top-spot-record-2013-car-sales Krauss, R., Wittle, S & MacDougall, M (2012). The Automotive Industry in Germany. Germany Trade and Invest. Retrieved from http://www.gtai.de/GTAI/Content/JP/Invest/_SharedDocs/Downloads/GTAI/Industry-overviews/io-automotive.pdf Libby, T. (2012). Audi versus BMW, Mercedes-Benz. HIS Automotive. Retrieved from http://blog.polk.com/blog/blog-posts-by-tom-libby/audi-versus-bmw-mercedes-benz OECD (2011). Recent developments in the automobile industry. OECD Economics Department Policy Note. Retrieved from http://www.oecd.org/eco/outlook/48333701.pdf Peters, D. (1996). Developing MICE industry. Measuring the MICE industry. Bureau of Tourism Research. Canberra, ACT Porter, D. (2009). Paris Convention and Visitors Bureau and MICE. Frommers Portable Paris 2009. Hoboken, NJ. Wiley Publishers. Prince, D. (2008). MICE industry in Paris. Paris 2009. Frommers. Hoboken, N.J. Roll, P. (2011). ESC Congress 2011 PARIS. Retrieved from http://www.escexhibition.org/Paris2011/Industry%20Site%20Visit%20%2030%20October%202007/Paris%20Convention%20Bureau%20leaflet.pdf Read More