Trade shows. Paris and its region welcome the world

As the European leader in trade shows and events, the Paris Region can rely on an extraordinary level of expertise, an impressive logistics capability and the amazing cultural and tourist attraction exerted by this region worldwilde. The Paris Region has the largest exhibition capacity in Europe, with a total floor area of 620 000 m², as well as many more extensions and new construction projects in the pipeline. That’s certainly the case with the new hall now under construction at the Paris Villepinte xhibition Center, which, at 36 000 m², will increase the total covered exhibition area to 236 000 m².

The region has long been the world capital for international conventions, and will be increasing the number of options available over the longer term, with the construction of brand-new convention centers. Projects include Eurodisney, where the opening of a new center covering more than 20 000 m² will be accompanied by additional accommodation capacity in the shape of a totally new hotel, and Orly airport, which is bulding a facility of equivalent size.

The seconde great strength of our region is the fact that it hosts such an impressive number of major exhibitions: more than 400 every year. The other great attraction of Paris Region trade shows and convention is, of course, the economic power and international image of Paris an its surrounding region. As Europe(s largest marketplace, this is the preferred hub from which 490 million European consumers.

Finally, the sheer organizational quality of the trade shows and conventons held here is another powerful advantage for the region. In terms of venues, the choice on offer is very easy to understand and interpret, and has been further simplified with the grouping together under the Viparis indetity of ten major venues previously managed separately by their two owners.

Source : Paris-Region Magazine, issue 9, march 2010 www.paris-region.com

Mapping the Paris Region economy:

Discover a Paris Region places selection , as the mood takes you, on econovista, the free economic map of Paris Region

Thinking of investing Paris Region? Evaluate your choice of location free of charge at econovista.com, the free economic map of Paris Region

Business. Orly International, a unique concept in France

Orly International is a unique concept in France.
Located in the middle of Orly Airport, this hosting centre, which opened in December 2006, is a joint initiative of Paris Airports, the General Councils of Essonne and Val-de-Marne, and Paris Region.

At the heart of the French market, at the crossroads of economic activity, Orly International brings together efficiency and flexibility, offering international and local businesses an operational work base that responds perfectly to current and future customer needs:

- ready-to-use business areas,
- a team of experts to assist you,
- dynamic support services,
- support from major players in economic development,
- a burgeoning network of businesses,
- direct connections to Paris,
- the services of a major international airport.


Orly International offers businesses a fully equipped office, meeting rooms, telephone answering service and personal assistance for €1,500 per month.


Visit the Orly International website

Discover Orly International on Econovista.com, the Paris Region economic map

Higher Education. Seven prestigious graduate schools around Saclay (Essonne)

The Plateau de Saclay is set to become a sort of French Silicon Valley with the highest concentration of researchers in France (soon to reach 20% versus 10% today).

From 2012, 670 registered students and lecture attendees at the engineering school ENSTA ParisTech will move to a 20,000 m² campus.
This will be followed by the Paris Graduate School of Economics, Statistics and Finance (ENSAE ParisTech) at the start of the 2013 school year, and École Centrale, Institut Télécom, AgroParisTech and École Normale Supérieure de Cachan by 2015. Part of the University of Orsay ("Paris Sud 11") should also be moving in over the next 10 to 15 years. HEC-INRA, CEA-CEN, CNRS, Supelec and Polytechnique are already established on the campus.


Discover more about higher education in Paris Region on Econovista interactive map

Discover more about Saclay on Econovista.com

Tourism / Hostels. Paris increases its hotel capacity

Paris City Council has pledged to increase the number of available hotel rooms by 7,000 between now and 2020. To this end, it brought together some 20 heads of hotel groups (Accor, Louvre Hôtels, Best Western, etc.) to show them city-owned land that could be used to build new hotels. Although the city currently has 1,500 hotels (75,000 rooms), there is a need for budget hotels and two or three hotels with conference facilities.
In addition, since January France has been allowed to award the new “Five Star” label to some of its hotels in order to compete internationally in a market greatly affected by the current economic crisis. Paris now has eight hotels with a five-star rating: Fouquet's Barrière, Hyatt Regency Paris Madeleine, Le Square, Renaissance Paris Vendôme, Le Meurice, Ritz Paris, Park Hyatt Paris Vendôme and Marriott Champs-Elysées.

Visit Paris Region on Econovista's, interactive map of Paris Region's economy

Fortune 500 companies - Paris Region is one of the world’s leading economic centres

Paris Region (or Ile de France) is one of the world’s leading economic centres. Many companies across an extremely wide range of sectors locate their global or European head offices here.
Paris Region is Europe’s no.1 location of choice – and the world’s no.2, after Tokyo – for the 500 leading global businesses: ahead of London, New York and Chicago (source: Fortune magazine). The Fortune 500 is a list of the top 500 global businesses ranked by their revenues, published annually by Fortune magazine.

Visit Econovista for a database of Fortune 500 companies present in Paris Region.

©Philippe Guignard

How to use Econovista Paris Region map? The new Econovista user guide is available now!

Econovista^® is an interactive economic map to help you discover the wealth of opportunities Paris Region (or Ile de France) has to offer. It is available free of charge on the internet.

Econovista^®offers a host of functions to help you pinpoint key information on Paris Region’s economy and potential locations for your business.Econovista.com includes 11 themed maps, allowing you to explore Paris Region’s rich potential. Each map displays a different aspect of the region – from transport infrastructures to sectors of excellence, and including leisure facilities and the region’s competitiveness clusters (Cap Digital Paris Region / Digital content; ASTech Paris Region / Aeronautics, Space & Defence, etc.).

How to use Econovista Paris Region map? The new updated version of the Econovista user guide is available now, providing an overview of the map’s key functions and instructions to help you get to grips with this interactive resource or refine your use of it. The guide has been re-worked and streamlined, showing you how to identify valuable information on the map, share your map, export data, etc.
You can consult the new Econovista user guide online

Or obtain a hard copy/PDF version by contacting :

Econovista@paris-region.com

Explore selected aspects of the region’s economy on Econovista, the interactive economic map of Paris Region

Paris Region was the number one French region for foreign investment in 2008

With 208 new projects involving business start-ups, expansions or buyouts in 2008 (i.e. 14% more than in 2007), Paris Region has confirmed its attractiveness to international companies.
In terms of jobs created, with the current crisis prompting investors to be cautious, average foreign investment projects in Paris Region were on a smaller scale compared with 2007. The number of jobs created or maintained fell by 20%, from almost 10,400 in 2007 to 8,300 in 2008.

Of the 208 projects listed in Paris Region, 154 are foreign business start-ups (the remainder are expansions or buyouts), showing that the Region is still a magnet for foreign companies. The number of jobs created by international start-ups has been steadily increasing for the last 6 years.

The geographic origin of investment. Paris Region is well suited to companies from distant or emerging countries:
The same three countries as the previous year – USA, UK and Germany – lead the field in terms of foreign investors generating employment in Paris Region.
Companies' activity sector and function: the mark of a major international city:
Generally speaking, the new projects in Paris Region fall mainly into the category of services - particularly financial –, consultancy and IT

The attractiveness of Paris Region is also confirmed in the study carried out by Paris-Ile de France Capitale Économique and Ernst & Young on “International relocations in the main European cities in 2008”.
The key findings are as follows:
- Paris Region saw a 6% increase in the number of international businesses locating there, while the 15 cities included in the study taken together saw an average drop of 5% (as low as 14% in the case of London and 16% for Madrid).
- For the second year running, Paris Region is the leading European region in the number of jobs created and is widening the gap with London.
- The number of business locations recorded in 2008 shows that the UK capital is the Europe’s leading region. The gap with Paris Region, in second position with 222 projects, is narrowing.


Find out about Paris Region with Econovista.com, the interactive economic map

Credits Photos: La Défense © ARD / Michel Derouault

8 eco-neighbourhoods for Paris Region

On 3 March the French government signed a framework agreement with a number of local authorities running 'écoquartier' (eco-neighbourhood) projects. The projects have been set up in one of the six Territories of Regional and National Interest (TIRNs) identified in Paris Region, and follow on from the Grenelle Environment Forum.

They are concerned with urban expansion or regeneration of existing obsolete districts. Since they will obviously be held up as sustainable development models, these districts must provide a mix of urban amenities including housing, employment, education and culture, either on site or close by and be accessible by public transport. They must also help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, protect biodiversity, promote alternative and intermodal forms of transport, improve quality of life and building standards, develop the natural resources and energy economy, as well as prevent and control nuisance and risks.

The projects are located in:

- Bussy-Saint-Georges (Seine-et-Marne), 120 hectares (296.5 acres) with 3,000 homes
- Meaux (Seine-et-Marne), 80-hectare (198 acres) "Foch-Roosevelt" eco-neighbourhood
- Montévrain (Seine-et-Marne), with 3,300 homes
- Mantes-la-Jolie and Rosny-sur-Seine (Yvelines), a riverside eco-neighbourhood of 2,000 homes
- Triel-sur-Seine, Chanteloup-les-Vignes, Andrésy and Carrières-sous-Poissy (Yvelines), for the "Boucle de Chanteloup" project with 3,000 homes
- Île-Saint-Denis (Seine-Saint-Denis), a 22-hectare (54 acres) riverside eco-neighbourhood with 1,000 homes
- Saint-Ouen (Seine-Saint-Denis), with the 100-hectare (247 acres) Docks eco-neighbourhood with 4,000 homes
- Louvres and Puiseux-en-France (Val d'Oise), with an eco-neighbourhood of 3,500 homes.

Further new eco-neighbourhoods will emerge in time, in response particularly to the Nouveaux Quartiers Urbains call for proposals issued by the Ile-de-France Regional Council.


Find the "eco-qualified" zones on Econovista, the free interactive economic map of Paris Region

Paris ranks no.7 among the world’s most expensive cities

Property consultants Cushman & Wakefield have published their annual report comparing office occupancy costs in 202 cities across 57 countries worldwide. Hong Kong and Tokyo are now the world’s two most expensive locations (with costs of €1,743/m²/year and €1,649/m²/year respectively), ahead of London which drops down two places (with rental costs of €1,403/m²/year).
Paris has held up well, falling just one place between 2008 and 2009 and ranking 7th overall (compared with 6th place in 2008). With occupancy costs of €994/m²/year, Paris remains highly competitive. Close on the heels of the central business districts of Mumbai, Dubai and Moscow, the French capital’s own business district, the Quartier Central des Affaires (QCA), is still extremely attractive in the global marketplace for prestigious office locations.

Find the central business district and Paris Region's key business locations on Econovista, the interactive economic map of Paris Region

Olivier ABESSOLO - Paris Region development Agency

La Croix du Sud: at the heart of Le Carré

The new town of Sénart is one of the key economic hubs of the département of Seine-et-Marne. Right at the heart of Sénart is the commercial centre Le Carré. And right at the heart of Le Carré is La Croix du Sud. This new real estate development opened on 23 October 2008, offering many advantages from the outset.When the North Paris Region division of the Champion supermarket chain (part of Carrefour group) was looking for its head office location it needed to find something out of the ordinary: a strategic geographic location, high-end architecture, flexible facilities, a welcoming environment, efficient public transport services, and so on. In late 2008 Champion opted for La Croix du Sud.The group’s 150 employees now occupy a space of 2,500 m2 on the second and third floors of the building, and have been joined by the staff of Grencke (a German IT equipment hire business) and of several SMEs on the ground and first floors. All the building’s new occupants have expressed their satisfaction with La Croix du Sud. And with good reason.The building’s first strong point is its very eye-catching architecture, based on a cross-shaped design which explains its name (literally “Cross of the South”). The facade combines glass and steel to stunning effect while the interiors offer an equally attractive mix of colour, light and transparency. Further benefits include the highly innovative design of the three upper storeys (false ceilings for ducting, reversible air conditioning, etc.) and their impressive versatility: the spaces can be divided into four units with separate reception areas and staircases. The building’s environment is just as attractive. It is located in the high-quality setting of Le Carré Sénart: a quadruple avenue of 2,400 silver lime trees, a waterway comprising two canals (respectively 620 and 900 metres long), cycle tracks, views over the Allée Royale promenade with its 500 sequoias and 130 different types of fruit tree. It also offers direct access to all services, including cinemas, bowling alley and shops. Finally, Le Carré’s four restaurants and many retail outlets will soon be supplemented by a takeaway food hall located on the ground floor of La Croix du Sud itself.Project developer Fulton Group, acting on behalf of the site’s owners (Bleecker and Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations) is confident about the future. Despite the current crisis, Sénart remains just as attractive as a location, and 80% of the surface area has already been taken up. Meanwhile the third phase of this development project (following the Trait d’Union and Croix du Sud buildings) is scheduled to start shortly, comprising 10,000 m2 of offices set alongside the Grand Canal Nord. Designed to comply with HQE (High Environmental Quality) standards throughout, these buildings will feature bamboo-covered facades – definitely something to look out for!To find out more visit www.fulton.fr

Photos credits : Epa Sénart Communication – Laurent Descloux

Find Seine-et-Marne on Econovista, the free interactive economic map of Paris Region

Article provided by: Patricia Montin of Seine et Marne Développement.

A map dedicated to the area around Paris-Charles de Gaulle airport

Datagora invites you to explore a map dedicated to the area around Paris-Charles de Gaulle airport on Econovista.com.

Covering a radius of about 15 kilometres around Paris-CDG airport, this new resource is the ideal way to discover the economic advantages of this prestigious location.

The map displays information including real estate and hotel offerings, taxes, infrastructure projects, profiles of towns and districts, photos, videos and much more – all underlining the attractiveness of this airport hub and its surrounding region.

Datagora’s map of the Paris-Charles de Gaulle airport region is available now at: http://www.econovista.com/datagora/ [in French only]


Datagora – dedicated to promoting the Roissy region
Datagora is an information centre promoting the wider Roissy area. This resource, serving the area’s various development agencies, aims to raise the profile of the region around Paris Charles de Gaulle airport (the départements of Seine-et-Marne, Seine-Saint-Denis and Val d'Oise), with the aim of attracting new businesses and enhancing the economic attractiveness of the airport hub.

Datagora was founded by Aéroports de Paris and also promotes the activities and real estate offers of Paris-Charles de Gaulle and Paris-Le Bourget airports.


Article provided by Datagora

The new-look Econovista

A new version of Econovista.com, the free interactive economic map of Paris Region is now available.
The new-look Econovista offers three new maps of Paris Region and a number of new functions to meet your needs more effectively.

Discover these new features now:

The Create and develop in Paris Region map
Created in partnership with the website Créersaboite.fr (designed to assist with the creation, transfer and acquisition of companies in Paris Region), this map displays the main locations and economic players supporting the setting up, location and development of businesses in Paris Region.

The Cap Digital - Digital content map
Cap Digital Paris Region is the region’s first competitiveness cluster to team up with Econovista.com.
Now Econovista offers a themed map dedicated to this cluster’s activities, highlighting the exceptional dynamism and density of the digital industry in Paris Region.

The Visit Paris Region map
The Paris Region tourist board offers you a themed map on Econovista dedicated to tourism and quality of life.


Choose a map from the selection available
The new interface makes it easy to see the various Paris Region maps available:
- Economic trails (Discover, Visit, Create and Develop Travel, Innovate, Spot talents),
- Maps of the Paris Region clusters
- A dedicated map focusing on the area around Paris-Charles de Gaulle airport
- Plus a “My Map” function allowing you to create your own personalised map.


Visit Econovista and discover Paris Region

Olivier ABESSOLO - Paris Region Agency

Seine-Saint-Denis Avenir, the economic development agency for the département of Seine-Saint-Denis, began operations on 1 January 2009

The new agency has a number of remits. Its role is to promote the economy of Seine-Saint-Denis by enhancing the area’s attractiveness and visibility, and it will be launching an intensified regional marketing campaign and approaching companies directly. Seine-Saint-Denis Avenir will effectively function as a “gateway” to the département, giving companies access to the local partner networks they need to successfully locate, grow and thrive in the area (including local/regional authorities, chambers of commerce, employers’ associations, entrepreneurs, research institutes and training organisations).
The agency also plans to assist SMEs in accessing innovation and forging links with research, by promoting economic sectors with significant future growth potential and enhancing the role of competitiveness clusters.
The département has also made Seine-Saint-Denis Avenir its operational arm for rebalancing the region with the emphasis on two priority sectors: Le Bourget, where plans for an aeronautics cluster are taking shape; and the Canal de l’Ourcq, where the business parks currently being established will host eco-businesses in particular.

To find out more about Seine-Saint-Denis: http://www.comex93.org/

Credits : Daniel Quention - Plaine Commune développement.

Discover the Seine-Saint-Denis on Econovista, the free interactive economic map of Paris Region

Panorama: a new resource for discovering Essonne

Population, employment, business, revenues: the official website of the Essonne Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI) has launched a new independent online resource presenting all aspects of this département’s economy from A to Z.
Maps, pictures and charts are used to help online visitors discover or find out more about the Essonne region, covering a wide range of themes which are grouped under seven headings: Environment and infrastructure, Demographics, Employment, Economic activity, Company start-ups and business transfers, Revenues and tax, and, finally, Priority areas and local development plans. The content of each section is downloadable in PDF datasheet format.

All of which makes it easy to discover that the Essonne region hosts a substantial number of major corporations and innovative SMEs in high-technology sectors. In all, nearly 44,000 businesses are located in the département.
Six major road routes cross Essonne to the north and the south, while the LGV Atlantique high-speed rail line crosses it from Verrières-le-Buisson to Saint-Cyr-sous-Dourdan in the west. North Essonne benefits from the presence of Paris-Orly international airport.
Now the CCI has made a mass of information easily accessible to anyone – students, researchers, companies and institutions – with an interest in Essonne’s socio-economic geography.

To find out more about this new resource: Panorama économique de l’Essonne (available in French only)

Crédits : Plateau de Saclay- Essonne

Find Essonne on Econovista, the free interactive economic map of Paris Region

Cap Digital launches its ‘Futur en Seine’ programme

Cap Digital is staging a programme of events, taking place from 29 May to 7 June 2009, with the aim of:
· offering a live showcase of the latest technologies from companies and laboratories in Paris Region to a wide public;
· presenting a number of talks – both for professionals and for the general public, and all “accredited” by Cap Digital – within a single week in order to attract national and international interest;
· staging a major popular celebration of the digital world to help the public understand the anticipated and potential changes arising from the increasing use of digital applications in their everyday environment.

‘Futur en Seine’ will take place in four main venues – the Wikiplaza in Place de la Bastille, the Cité des Sciences et de l’Industrie, the Bourse de Commerce, and 104 rue d’Aubervilliers – and in a number of additional locations: the Arc de Triomphe, La Seine, Montreuil, Issy les Moulineaux (Le Cube digital design centre), Enghien Les Bains (Centre des Arts), the Château de Vincennes, Saint Denis and Saint Ouen).
‘Futur en Seine’ has already received support from the Paris Region and City of Paris authorities.

To find out more about Futur en Seine. (french only)

Discover Cap Digital – Digital Contents on Econovista, the free interactive economic map of Paris Region.

Essonne – one of Paris Region's most dynamic departments

In September the Essonne Chamber of Commerce and Industry issued a new report on the state of the department's economy, examining the department's achievements in terms of value creation from four angles:

- Entrepreneurial dynamic: the new business start-up rate in Essonne is higher than in 2006. More than 5,000 jobs were created in 2007, a 12.5% increase compared with 2006.

- Business competitiveness: Essonne has one of the lowest business tax rates.

- Attractiveness and cohesion: the Essonne companies surveyed rated the living environment at the top of the list. Then came the benefits of being part of Paris Region: the communications infrastructure, proximity and size of the market, training and higher education. The drawbacks quoted were the lack of international awareness, taxation and real estate costs. Orly airport is considered to be a major advantage to businesses.

- Human resources: a region's wealth also comes from its human resources. The department has seen a significant increase in recruitment and businesses’ recruitment plans are more extensive than the regional average.

Photos credits : Atis - Semiconductor

To find out more: Detailed report of the economic situation in Essonne 2008

Find Essonne on Econovista, the interactive economic map of Paris Region.

Mapping the future of Paris Region's transport system

Now online is Paris Region’s interactive map of the new public transport routes due to become operational between now and 2016. Internet users can see the planned extensions to the French capital's existing light rail and metro lines as well as some new lines.
The many projects to be discovered include Arc Express, an automatic metro around Paris, which is being funded by Paris Region, the government and STIF. The aim of this service is to transport people quickly and easily between suburbs without passing through Paris itself. Demand for this type of transport has increased considerably in recent years. The Arc Express link will work on the same principle as the existing Paris Metro. The future Viroflay-Chatillon light rail line will be a viable alternative to travelling by car for 150,000 people living or working less than 500 metres from a station.
Another interesting project is the extension of the RER E "Eole" to the west to take in La Défense, which will further improve links between the eastern and western sectors of Paris Region.


To find out more, see Paris Region's transport planning map

Tourism - France: The world’s number one tourist destination

With 82 million incoming international tourists in 2007, France still retains global first place ahead of Spain. The number of international tourists grew by almost 4% in France in 2007 compared to 2006, and by 6% in the world as a whole. The principal customer bases come from Europe: Germans, British and Belgians represent 46% of tourist arrivals, the Dutch 8.9% and Italians, Spanish and Portuguese 17%.Tourism represents 6.3% of GDP in France compared with 3.8% globally.

Paris Region remains number one French tourist region.

In 2007, Paris Region retained its place as the top French tourist region. It welcomed 32.6 million tourists to its hotels, of which 45% were foreign. International tourism is one of the region’s strong points with 55% of overnight stays being by foreigners compared with a national average of 33%. The region welcomed more Europeans and Americans but fewer from Asia.
The principal sites visited where there are entry fees are Disney and Walt Disney Studios (14.5 million visitors), the Louvre (8.2 m), the Eiffel Tower (6.8 m), the Pompidou Centre (5.5 m), Versailles (5.3 m), Musée d’Orsay (3.2 m), the Cite des Sciences et de l’Industrie science park (2.8 m) and the Arc de Triomphe (1.3 m).

Photo Credits : © Paris Tourist Office - David Lefranc

More information about leisure activities in Paris Region on Econovista.com, the interactive map

Seine-et-Marne: Val d'Europe, an area of excellence

Val d’Europe has just been awarded the "Prize for Excellence" by the Urban Land Institute (ULI). This symbolic distinction honours the city centre project for the town of Val d’Europe, for its responsible urban development and the quality of life the Paris east area.

Other European urban projects were prize-winners: Amsterdam, Istanbul, Antwerp and London.The architectural quality of Val d’Europe had already been recognised last March when it received a "Palladio Award" for the completion of the Place de Toscane, a convivial town centre space.

Photo credits: ©Yann Piriou

Locate Val d’Europe on Econovista, the interactive economic map of Paris Region

Eco-qualified activity areas in Paris Region on Econovista

Discover the interactive economic map of Paris Region

© Econovista.com

The choice of location for international businesses is made according to increasingly stringent criteria in a tough competitive climate; as well as seeking conditions that will stimulate growth, companies also looking for quality premises, especially from the environmental point of view.

Paris Region offers an array of existing and planned business parks, reinforcing its position as a leading, multi-faceted business hub and eco-region that is home to start-ups and businesses of every type, with regional authorities working closely with businesses and a services offer that fulfils their needs.

As part of this support structure, the Paris Region Economic Development Agency has created an index of the region’s “eco-qualified” business parks – i.e. those implementing an environmental or sustainable development policy. Initially, 31 projects either completed or underway are being presented on Econovista, and more will be added soon as more projects develop; those involved have found that this type of approach, once launched, soon gathers momentum.

The locations of the eco-qualified business parks are shown on the Econovista map (click on Discover).

Your feedback is vital for helping us to help us to develop this project, in particular any comments on the means of characterising (but not of classifying) the areas presented, so please don’t hesitate to tell us your views: Econovista@paris-region.com