Business tourism barometer: 1st half 2023

The first half of 2023 delivered very promising results for professional events in Bordeaux: 

The results of Bordeaux’s Business Tourism Observatory for the first half of 2023 are testament to the city’s reputation as a destination of choice for professional events. The figures presented hereunder are indicative of a very positive trend, with visitor numbers far surpassing their 2019 levels even though the number of events has remained stable. This growth can be partly attributed to the trend for longer professional events, highlighting the attractiveness of Bordeaux as a destination and the wealth of assets available locally to make the visitor experience a memorable one.

Overall activity up by 28% on 2019:

The total number of conference days – and, by extension, the economic benefits for the city – increased significantly to easily exceed their 2019 level. This growth was made possible by the inauguration of the Palais 2 l’Atlantique as well as several new hotels, reinforcing the city’s capacity to host large-scale events. 

A 355% increase in the number of participants attending international events, compared with 2019: 2023 witnessed the return of high-profile international events.

This positive dynamic confirmed that international business tourism has bounced back, and illustrated Bordeaux’s ability to attract large-scale events.

A 45% increase in the number of participants taking part in conferences and trade fairs:

Seen in light of the previous statistic, this major increase confirms that major professional events are back in a big way. 

These results are the fruit of an intensive data-gathering operation involving 33 establishments and service providers who contribute to the Business Tourism Observatory, ensuring the solidity and reliability of our analysis.