June 11, 2019

In partnership with:

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• 09:00 - 09:30

  Welcome Message

  • • Michel Pélieu, President, Hautes Pyrénées Department
  • • Pascale Peraldi, Conseillère Régionale, Région Occitanie / Pyrénées-Méditerranée

  * Hosted at the Tarbes Chamber of Commerce's amphitheatre (1, rue des Evadés - 65000 Tarbes, France)

   

• 09h30 - 10h00

  Keynote*

  • • Tobias Luthe

  * Hosted at the Tarbes Chamber of Commerce's amphitheatre

   

• 10:00 - 11:00

  How do mountain regions cope with climate change?

  Panellists:

  • • Juan-Andres Guterriez, President, Euromontana
  • • Tobias Luthe, Mountain Guide, Researcher at the University of Zurich, Founding Director of the MonViso Institute (Italy)
  • • Laurent Garcia, General Manager, Peyragudes Ski Resort
  • • Marc Pons, Director of the Andorra Innovation Hub and Head of Department at the Snow and Mountain Research Center of Andorra

  ** This panel is hosted at the Tarbes Chamber of Commerce's amphitheatre **

• 11:00 - 12:00

  Opening ceremony presided by Pascale Peraldi, Regional Advisor, and Stéphane Castet, President of abe

   

• 12:00 - 12:30

  Agreement signing between AD'OCC and EDF Une Rivière Un Territoire Vallée des Pyrénées

  This partnership will help sustain all initiatives for the economic development of the Pyrenees region.

   

• 12:00

  Food tasting

  At Interbev booth (A30)

   

• 12:15 - 13:30

  Business lunch

  (Lunch will be served at a designated area inside the exhibition hall)

   

• 13:30 - 14:30

  Invest, diversify, innovate: key factors for renewing ski resort clientele

  Panellists:

  • • Yves Rougier, General Manager, Altiservice (Engie group)
  • • Frédéric Marion, International Project Director - Mountain, Compagnie des Alpes Management
  • • Blandine Vernadet, Project Manager, N’PY/SkyLodge, Deputy Director, Grand Tourmalet
  • • Hervé Blanchard, CEO, Mécamont Hydro
  • • René Causse, President, Syndicat Mixte d’Aménagement du Mont Lozère
  • • Éric Adamkiewicz, Lecturer in sport management and land planning, Paul Sabatier University

  Customer retention issues, aging and not-suited equipment/infrastructure, job insecurity: how can ski resorts become year-round mountain resorts? Mastering water resources and new technologies for snow production are the first steps to ensure the good functioning of a ski resort during ski season. However, the resorts are now facing real challenges when it comes to diversification and innovation. Mountain resorts must adapt to a new reality if they want to open throughout the four seasons. There are efforts to be made in various sectors including investment rationalization, year-round equipment installation, creating environments that meet the target customers' needs, increasing customer service quality, improving land planning of the resorts, etc. Looking at such highly critical objectives, we understand the importance and necessity of a collaborative work between local companies. Together, they can build synergies, they can alleviate part of the risks associated to innovation, and they can work on creating a better and more sustainable work environment.

   

• 14:00 - 17:00

  BtoB Meetings

   

• 14:45 - 15:45

  Water, a strategic resource for mountain regions

  Panellists:

  • • Christine Etchegoyhen, President, France Hydro
  • • Franck Darthou, Director, EDF Hydro Sud-Ouest, and ElectricianS Representative, Comité de Bassin Adour-Garonne
  • • Ignacio Henares Civantos, Conservatory Manager, Sierra Nevada National Park
  • • Rémy Baudot, Regional Business Director - Occitanie/Aquitaine, Egis Eau
  • • Marion Douarche, Geographer and General Manager, CIMEO
  • • Serge Planton, Former Manager of the Climate Research Group at the Centre National de Recherches Météorologiques de Météo-France

  In mountain regions water has become 'blue gold'. It is stored in natural mountain reservoirs and supplies surrounding areas, as well as helps preserving a remarkable ecosystem. Water also plays an important role in renewable energies production and even in producing snow for touristy activities. However, water could be considered as an endangered species - its availability is put at risk by extreme climate changes including thunderstorms and drought. In such context, how can we adapt water production and consumption to prevent and overcome climat change dreadful consequences? How can water play a pivotal role in the economic development of mountain regions? Do these regions possess result-proven or innovative solutions to protect their water resources?

   

• 16:00 - 17:00

  How biking activities drive the touristic development of mountain regions

  Panellists:

  • • Alison Lacroix, Outdoor Experiences Department Manager, Groupe Rossignol
  • • Yohann Vachette, Deputy Director, Bike Solutions
  • • Ludovic Henry, Technical Director, Syndicat Intercommunal de Val Louron
  • • Jorge Ruiz de Eguilaz, Zona Zero

  Mountain territories are considering taking a four-season approach in their offering. Challenges are to be expected: diversify the activity offering, and build and maintain strong visitor attendance. One of the diversification options is biking. You might wonder why, so here's a few hints:
    • Biking is the #1 sport/leisure activity in France (8.7 million bicycle riders, and 7.4 million mountain bikers, from a BVA Sport study, July 2016) while hiking holds the second place
    • Bikes can support touristic activities all year long 
    • Biking targets customer with potentially high purchasing power
    • Biking is a sustainable transportation that's totally eco-friendly

  Based on these elements, France and the Occitanie region are developing a solid sport & leisure offering through a range of electric road bikes and electric mountain bikes. Biking is a great option when it comes to touristic activity as it fits all kinds of budget.

   

• 16:30

  Food tasting

  At Ambition Pyrénées booth (D34)

   

• 19:00

  Gala dinner at the Tarbes' Haras National

   

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