As the industry’s annual pilgrimage to France for the Cannes International Festival of Creativity nears, it looks as though many Canadian delegates are scrambling to find accommodation.
The festival provides a hotel booking service for registered attendees. Last year, more than 8,000 attendees registered, and according to promotional copy on the Lions website, about the same number were expected this year.
That estimate was, perhaps, conservative. With Lions programming and awards set to begin on June 19, many guests are only now getting confirmations – or in some cases rejections – from their hotels of choice.
Rumours among regular attendees say registration for the 2011 festival is very high, inundating the festival with requests for rooms. Amanda Benfell, the festival’s PR and press manager, said the accommodation team had been “snowed under” by volume.
The festival is now helping those who did not get their hotels of choice find alternatives. As more delegates scramble to find rooms, however, vacancies become rare in downtown Cannes, moving latecomers further and further from Festival headquarters at the Palais des Festivals et des Congres.
Last year’s festival saw 90 countries submit more than 24,000 pieces of work to compete for gold, silver and bronze Lion statuettes.
Marketing will be reporting on festival programming and awards from Cannes throughout the week of June 19-25. Check you Daily newsletters or MarketingMag.ca for more.
