The Paris Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI), that of Île-de-France Crafts (CMA) and the Paris City Hall endeavored this Wednesday to respond to the concerns of traders regarding the 2024 Olympic Games , encouraging them to stay positive. Red zones and deliveries, tourist guides, opening of businesses on Sundays… 79% of professionals surveyed by the CCI fear “delivery and supply” difficulties, 62% are worried about “employee mobility” and 44% fear an impact on “customer attendance”.
“The difficulties seem to be accumulating, but we must maintain positivity,” declared Pierre Rabadan, deputy mayor of Paris in charge of sport and the Olympics. “We designed the Games in a living Paris, and not a closed and slowed city. The diversity and compactness of our businesses are an opportunity,” he added, while decisions are expected by the end of January following consultation with the prefecture. “One of our objectives is to limit the effects of the Olympics on Parisians and traders, and to mobilize VSEs, SMEs, artisans and businesses to make this moment a success for our capital,” said Soumia Malinbaum, president of the CCI Paris.
The various representatives of Parisian commerce and crafts have also expressed their concerns regarding the exemption for Sunday openings, from which the 10th, 11th, 13th, 14th and 20th arrondissements will be excluded. Pierre Rabadan assured that he understood the dismay of the traders affected by this decision of the prefecture and assured that it is one of the “subjects to be discussed in the future” with the regional prefect.
Also president of the Paris Tourist Office, Pierre Rabadan spoke of the establishment of “thematic tourist routes” for visitors, in which Parisian businesses will be highlighted. An initiative that joins that of Francis Bussière, president of the CMA IDF, with the development of “interactive mappings” on which different sites, museums and heritage places will be visible.
Soumia Malinbaum, for her part, reminded traders that the Olympic Games will also be synonymous with “economic growth” because “tourists will come to spend”. According to the survey carried out by the CCI Paris among 184 traders between July and September, 40% of them expect an increase in their turnover during the Olympics.
