Cannes gears up for retail spree

At least 10,000 delegates are expected in Cannes on the French Riveria next week for the 14th edition of the Mapic international retail real estate market.

Organiser Reed-Midem says 9,000 delegates, including 2,000 retailers, had completed accreditation a week before of the event. The exhibition area for the fair which runs from 19-21 November covers 12,500 m2, 1,000 more than in 2007. Over 60 countries will be presented at Mapic and there will be 350 stands, 10% more than last year.

Last year's Mapic saw the entry of Turkey for the first time in the ranking of the top 10 countries with the most companies attending the annual retail fair in Cannes. This year the country takes centre stage as the country of honour. 'This focus reflects the dynamism and strong growth potential of Turkish retail real estate and will inform the 12,000 expected delegates this year about the unique features of this market,' says Mapic director Nadine Castagna. 'Turkey has become a strategic territory for retailers, developers and international investors.'

For the second year in a row, Cushman & Wakefield will be Mapic’s Knowledge Partner. The UK-based adviser is co-organising three separate workshops on the retail property markets of Turkey as well as on India and Ukraine.

Click on the link below for more information on Mapic.

Gerard Groener, CEO of Dutch property company Corio, is one of the speakers in the workshop entitled Developers: Is Turkey still on an upward trend? He cites a number of reasons why Turkey’s retail sector has proven attractive for investors, starting with Corio itself. 'To begin with, Turkey is one of the largest countries in Europe. It has a population of 73 million that is heading towards 90 million. The average age is also around thirty, so you have a very powerful workforce to support the economy there.'

Corio entered the Turkish market in 2005, and at last count had 11 shopping centres there, four operating and seven in the pipeline. Some 6% of its total portfolio, valued at around EUR 6.5 bn after the recent sale of a Dutch property portfolio, is traced to the country. The remainder is in the mature markets of the Netherlands, France, Italy and Spain.

Besides the seminar on Turkey, Cushman & Wakefield is also organising:

Development in Ukraine - timing and opportunities?
Friday, 21 November 2008
10:45 - 11:30
Room Level 01

India: Sunshine retail destination
Friday, 21 November 2008
11:45 - 12:30
Room Level 01