Story by Judith Rubin
The annual MAPIC conference and exhibition at the Palais des Festivals in Cannes, France has become a European hub for experience designers to network and share ideas with the retail sector. Reflecting the importance of these collaborations, MAPIC 2020 (17-19 November) is introducing a new element, LeisurUp (16-17 November), billed as “the new global B2B leisure event to create unique live experiences.”
According to MAPIC event director Nathalie Depetro, “LeisurUp is a super-complementary new event, which will start the day before MAPIC. Of course we know that there is no future without leisure and for us this is not about amusement parks, it is about everything we do with our free time. Every aspect and every part of leisure will be represented, from suppliers, to operators, to fundraising. It will cover the entire value chain.”
In addition to the debut of LeisurUp, the MAPIC program will include conferences and workshops, a City Summit, an Investment Forum, an Outlet Summit and a Master-Franchise Summit. Depetro says, “MAPIC has increasingly reflected the introduction of digital innovation into retail and destinations but this year it will not only be digital solutions showcased but all kinds of innovations that help the industry to better understand and to serve customers, from new retailers and new uses through to how technology and innovation is used within stores. We will also be stressing the importance of new business models and fresh ways of thinking.”
More info: https://www.mapic.com/en-gb.html
Photo at top: Outdoor exhibition at MAPIC 2019. Photo: MAPIC