From October 16 to 19, the Nice Côte d’Azur Tourist Office welcomed around forty foreign prescribers who came to discover the city and its assets for business tourism. Activities on the agenda included: meetings, visits, team building, and the presentation of the new convention center OcéaNice, a symbol of an economic turning point for the Metropolis.
Business tourism, also known as MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions), is a sector often unfamiliar to the general public but vital for the local economy. This segment of tourism targets companies that organize seminars, conferences, conventions, or incentive trips for their employees. Less visible than leisure tourism, it nevertheless generates considerable economic benefits.
Professional visitors spend more per day than traditional tourists and visit outside the summer months, providing a constant economic boost without overcrowding the city.
It is with this mindset that the Nice Côte d’Azur Tourist Office organized a discovery stay called “Discover OcéaNice” from Thursday, October 16 to Sunday, October 19. The goal is to convince European congress prescribers that the azure capital has all the advantages to host large-scale international events.
“Supporting the region outside the summer months”
During this workshop, 36 local players: hotels, event venues, and activity providers, met with around forty prescribers from seven European countries (Germany, Italy, Belgium, Netherlands, Sweden, Luxembourg, and the United Kingdom).
These meetings took place in the brand new OcéaNice convention center, a flagship of metropolitan economic development.
“We are taking advantage of the opening of OcéaNice to present the entire MICE offering of the region,” explains Jean-Sébastien Martinez, General Director of the Nice Côte d’Azur Tourist Office. “Our strategy is to support the region in areas not served by leisure tourism, especially outside the summer season.”
A clear strategy: occupy hotels and host venues during the off-seasons and attract lucrative tourism that respects local balance.
OcéaNice, a new space for major events
With OcéaNice, Nice takes a new step. This state-of-the-art convention center offers 10,600 m² of modular spaces, a 4,000 m² hall, and a panoramic roof open to the Mediterranean.
The facility, ideally located, already establishes itself as a structuring tool for the entire territory. 70 booking intentions are recorded for 2026, with more than 30 already confirmed, including three American organizers who had never chosen Nice before.
For the period 2026-2029, more than 170 national and international events are already planned, representing over 10,300 overnight stays and nearly 10 million euros in direct economic impacts for the local economy.
Foreign prescribers are charmed by this unique combination of modernity and natural surroundings.
“Nice is really important for us,” confides a German organizer who frequently visits the Côte d’Azur. “There’s the sea, the mountains, French culture, good wine, and gastronomy… It’s the perfect combination of work and pleasure, and this October sun with the view of the port, you can’t find it anywhere else.”
A Program Tailored to Attract European Decision-Makers
During four days, guests were immersed in the heart of the Nice destination. On Friday morning, the workshop allowed prescribers to meet the entire local MICE ecosystem.
In the afternoon, a team-building activity in Old Nice took place, allowing them to test activities they could offer to their clients.
On Saturday, participants visited several key hotels, before exploring the hinterland in vintage cars, followed by a cocktail at the Negresco.
On Sunday, the day ended smoothly with a stroll on the Promenade and a seaside lunch.
Unique and Inspiring Venues
Nice is full of places capable of hosting large-scale events as well as unique experiences.
“Beyond the football stadium, we offer new uses of the Allianz Riviera,” explains Claire Castellan, corporate sales manager. “Our indoor spaces now host escape games in the locker rooms or cells, or even conferences in the stands. We’re introducing them to a new vision of the stadium they didn’t imagine before.”
On the hotel side, the enthusiasm is similar. Marlène Noblot, events manager at Holiday Inn Nice Centre, highlights, “We agreed to participate in this workshop to meet European agencies directly and present our offer face-to-face. We hope to build new long-term partnerships.”
This “Discover OcéaNice” stay marks an important step in Nice’s business tourism development strategy, a discreet yet essential sector. With its breathtaking landscape catalog, enviable climate, and a multitude of perfect establishments for this sector, Nice confirms its ambition to become a European MICE reference, where business and lifestyle meet.
