The Belem which carries the Olympic flame is expected this Wednesday, May 8 in the Old Port of Marseille. On the program: welcome ceremonies, festivities and free concert. 150,000 people are expected before the flame travels through the rest of the city on Thursday. For the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI) of Aix-Marseille-Provence, the event marks the kick-off of the Olympic Games for Marseille which will host the sailing events and ten football matches this summer. Jean-Daniel Beurnier, president of the AMP24 Association which promotes the Olympic Games to the entrepreneurial world, expects a total of nearly 200 million euros in economic benefits.
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RFI: What is your state of mind a few hours before the arrival of the flame in Marseille ?
Jean-Daniel Beurnier : We are super excited to see the flame arrive in this historic and emblematic place that is 2,600 years old. When we created the AMP 24 Club three years ago, which today brings together more than 400 local companies, our objective was to bring together the major sponsors of Olympic Games 2024 and their local representatives to enliven the entrepreneurial world, sport and the economy.
Today everyone is delighted to be able to highlight Marseille, its harbor, its environment, its businesses. This May 8 is a showcase: it will highlight Marseille’s capacity to host events of global significance. We have already done it with the Euro football tournament in 2016 and the Rugby World Cup in 2023. We will once again prove that Marseille is a great European capital.
The Banque Populaire Méditerranéenne estimates the economic impact of the arrival of the Olympic flame in Marseille at 18 million euros. These estimates have been disputed by some economists. Do they seem realistic to you? ?
We will have to carry out studies after the event, but this figure does indeed seem realistic to me. Welcoming the flame is both a festive and economic event. The hotels are full, many Airbnbs have been rented. The benefits are positive for tourism with people who will spend two to three additional days in the city and in the region.
But we are looking well beyond May 8. The flame will continue its journey in the region until May 12, but above all, Marseille has the chance to also be a land of Games.
This summer, 600,000 people will attend ten football matches at the Stade Vélodrome and 500,000 are expected to come to see the sailing events at the Marina. We know that around 25 to 35% of visitors will come from abroad and will spend on average 200 euros per person. Studies carried out by the Aix-Marseille-Provence CCI estimate the economic impact at nearly 200 million euros. It’s very good for the area.
Read alsoIn Greece, the “Belem” heads for France with the Olympic flame on board
How was the local economic fabric involved in the organization of the Games?
In recent years, the objective of the AMP 2024 Club has been to facilitate access to calls for tenders launched by the Olympic Games. Great companies like Fil Rouge which manufactures some of the volunteers’ jerseys or the architectural firm Rougerie+Tangram which built the Marina have benefited from the Olympics. This highlights our know-how and our innovations. Throughout this period, we have organized exchanges with the Regional Olympic Sports Committee, the Heritage Fund. This benefits our entrepreneurs. This is also part of our DNA: sport is in itself a real economy and today it is a vector of the attractiveness and know-how of a metropolis.
The organization of the Olympic Games in Marseille also led to an increase in expenses. The construction site of the Marina, the new nautical stadium, cost a total of 49 million euros, more than double what was initially planned. How to explain this?
Above all, it was essential to give Marseille a Marina to return the sea to the people of Marseille. We did not have the infrastructure capable of carrying out very high-level competition projects. That’s it: Marseille can host world competitions.
Then, beyond the costs, the Olympic Games are a fantastic accelerator. For example, more than 250 million euros were invested to expand the Aix-Marseille-Provence airport to receive visitors to the Olympic Games. The Games make it possible to upgrade infrastructure. There is certainly direct expenditure, where we often think “this has exploded”, but when it is designed in such a way that it can be reused as the Marina or the airport is today, it is a investment in the future. This is also the legacy of the Olympic Games.
Less than three months before the start of the events, hoteliers are not yet stocking up for this summer. Professionals in the sector report the concern of their clients who fear crowds or excessive room prices. What do you say to that?
Everyone can rest assured: the organization will be there. I’m not worried, because in addition to sailing, we have remarkable football displays with France’s matches (France will face the United States in Marseille in the men’s tournament on July 24 then New Zealand on July 30, Editor’s note) as well as the final phases for men and women. The posters are obviously not yet known, so reservations will be made somewhat at the last minute.
More generally, I think the world has changed a bit. Since Covid-19, people no longer book like they used to six months in advance. This May 8, with the arrival of the flame, we will have a foretaste of the Olympic Games. When people see Belem Entering the Old Port will be tempting.
