Inauguration of Paris Convention Centre

On Wednesday 22 November, Paris Convention Centre was inaugurated in the presence of Valérie Pécresse, President of the Île-de-France Regional Council, Anne Hidalgo, Mayor of Paris and Michel Cadot, Prefect of Police for Paris and the Greater Paris region.

Didier Kling, Chair of the Paris Île-de-France Regional Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Christophe Cuvillier, CEO & Chair of the Management Board of Unibail-Rodamco, Michel Dessolain CEO of Viparis and Jean Pistre, co-founder of the Valode & Pistre architectural firm highlighted the many advantages of this exceptional venue. The Centre is located within the Paris Expo Porte de Versailles exhibition complex, which is undergoing a ten-year renovation project (2015–2025). It is the result of an extraordinary architectural effort, and was designed to host the very biggest international conferences. With Europe's largest conference centre, Paris will stay at the forefront of the business tourism market and retain its position as the world's top destination for international conferences.

This new venue, which will function in complement to the Palais des Congrès de Paris, means that the city of Paris can host the very largest world conferences and provide customised configurations. With a 5,200-seat plenary hall connected to 44,000 m2 of exhibition space, the Paris Convention Centre is a winner – events that bring together more than 30,000 participants have already booked the Centre, and large-scale events are planned through 2022.

Paris Convention Centre can accommodate the very largest national and international events. It is fully modular and its many amenities – including exhibition halls, meeting and conference rooms, permanent and mobile food stands, an event space, green roof and vast car park – means that it can be adapted to every imaginable situation. The airy and light-filled interior offers a breathtaking view of Paris.  The plenary hall is the largest in Europe, and its glass roof means that conferences can be held in natural light. Every conference room is fully furnished with smart and adaptive speakers that offer high-quality sound and create an ideal acoustic environment for visitors. The Atrium conference rooms feature connected furniture and the latest audiovisual equipment. 

"Paris Convention Centre will be a crown jewel in our efforts to boost the appeal of Paris and the region. The site has been renovated, reimagined and given a new identity to help the Greater Paris region at the top of the meetings and corporate events industry. This sector accounts for €5.5 billion in economic benefits for the region and more than €20 billion in turnover for exhibitors. With no public financing, Paris Expo Porte de Versailles will become the epicentre of Paris's ambitions in the field of conferences and trade shows." Didier Kling, Chair of the Paris Île-de-France Regional Chamber of Commerce and Industry 

"We are especially proud to inaugurate Viparis's newest venue, Paris Convention Centre. It is, quite simply, Europe's largest conference centre. It is fitted with cutting-edge technology and its modularity means that it can fully customise any event. It also happens to be the only conference centre in the world with a breathtaking view of the Eiffel Tower. Paris, the top destination for conferences, will now be able to host the world's largest gatherings." Christophe Cuvillier, Chair of the Management Board of Unibail-Rodamco 

"Viparis is focused on introducing innovation and flexibility at our sites and bringing them into the digital age. We constantly strive to provide the best service per square metre. Our goal is to host 75 events at Paris Convention Centre over the next five years, including 55 conferences – 15 of which are already booked. This new venue will help bolster Paris's influence and image on the world stage, and help the city retain its leading edge in the business tourism market." Michel Dessolain, CEO of Viparis

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www.parisconventioncentre.com