- Team Nice Côte d’Azur will be present from September 22 to 24 at IAAPA Expo Europe 2025 (September 23–26, 2025 in Barcelona) to promote the tourism and economic attractiveness of the Nice Côte d’Azur Metropolitan Area to leisure industry professionals.
- The 2024 summer season recorded solid tourism performance, with 90% hotel occupancy during peak months and a record 14.8 million passengers handled by Nice Côte d’Azur Airports in 2024.
- Local economic momentum is driven by major investments in hospitality, events, and the arrival of innovative companies.
A mission at the heart of a strategic trade show
From September 22 to 24, 2025, Axelle Xerri, ICC & Tourism Project Manager at Team Nice Côte d’Azur, will represent the Nice Côte d’Azur territory at IAAPA Expo Europe in Barcelona. This leading professional trade show for amusement parks, attractions, leisure centers, resorts, and immersive experiences brings together more than 690 international exhibitors and several thousand professional visitors.
The mission’s objectives are threefold: ensure institutional representation, identify innovation signals on emerging tourism trends, establish operational connections with operators seeking to invest in the region.
Confirmed tourism appeal
The 2024 summer season confirmed Nice Côte d’Azur’s attractiveness, with consolidated results in both hospitality and air traffic. According to the Metropolitan Tourist Office press release, average hotel occupancy between January and September reached 78%, up 2.5 points compared with 2023.
In peak season, occupancy rates reached 89% in July (with a 98% peak during the Tour de France final stage) and 90% in August and September, supported by Olympic football matches at Allianz Riviera. Visitor daily spending increased by 4% in the first half of 2024. The “Nice Côte d’Azur in Winter” campaign sustained momentum, driving a 2-point increase in bookings in Q4 2024.
At the air level, Nice Côte d’Azur Airport handled 14.8 million passengers in 2024 across all traffic, surpassing 2019 levels. The platform serves 122 destinations in 45 countries, including 13 long-haul connections. On the environmental front, direct-controlled emissions have been reduced by 93% since 2013, thanks to aircraft stand electrification and reforestation initiatives in partnership with the French National Forestry Office.
Economic leverage strengthened by hospitality growth
Alongside increased visitor numbers, the upscale transformation of the hotel offer is shaping the local tourism economy. New openings are part of a dynamic launched with recent projects such as Anantara Plaza Nice Hotel, DoubleTree by Hilton, Hôtel du Couvent, Palais Ségurane, and Mama Shelter. These investments are designed to support the growth of both leisure and business tourism across the metropolitan area.
An attractive setup for business investment
IAAPA Expo also offers an opportunity for Team Nice Côte d’Azur to highlight the Business Landing Nice Côte d’Azur program, designed for growing companies seeking a host region in strategic sectors, including tourism.
The program provides:
- a grant of up to €100,000,
- a repayable advance of €50,000,
- tailored support through a partner network (CCI, Business France, Bpifrance…).
This support is part of an economic strategy focused on eight priority sectors, including tourism, aiming to secure early-stage implantation and foster value creation within a structured framework.
A growing professional and events ecosystem
The city’s ability to host major international events has been strengthened with the June 2025 opening of the new Nice Convention Center, inaugurated during the United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC-3). This facility complements an event and logistics offering aligned with international requirements, within a territorial strategy built around sustainability, connectivity, and innovation.
Professional contact
Industry professionals attending IAAPA Expo Europe 2025 can book a meeting with Axelle Xerri through the Connect+ app 👉 https://connectplus.iaapa.org/event/iaapa-expo-europe-2025
📧 axerri@tnca.fr
📞 +33 (0)6 80 23 00 74
