Two polar opposites

Cannes is a beautiful place. In November, when the Mapic fair is held, it is warm and the participants still feel welcomed by a holiday atmosphere. This mood infects everyone. From the beginning of the first day the event is vibrant with life, people are relaxed and smiling, but... they have not forgotten about the purpose of their journey. There is a lot going on at the stands from the outset in the morning. There are business talks and project presentations at the stands. While walking around Palais des Festivals one can sense the passion - the people who gather here are actively interested in the shopping centre industry. Besides, you cannot easily forget about this business - it also features in private escapades to the charming bistros serving regional delicacies after the fair finishes for the day. Cannes is characterised by an atmosphere of integration among its participants. You can meet a person from the sector on the street, exchange business cards, and be on first-name terms even if you are never to meet them again. It is one of the most important assets of this event. Thanks to this the formal conversations, negotiations and work during the fair certainly become more pleasant if not a great deal easier.
Mapic combines the fair formula with conferences and Mapic Awards - prizes for those who are the best in the industry. This year ?Eurobuild CEE' co-organised a discussion panel on the Polish shopping centre market with Cushman & Wakefield. The discussion entitled ?Poland - is the sky the limit?' took place on the second day of the fair. Its participants included Agata Brzezińska (Neinver Polska), Mirosław Ciepluch (Echo Investment), Paul Kusmierz (Master Management Group), Eduard Zehetner (Immofinanz Group) and Peter Todd (ResolutionReal Estate Advisers). The discussion was moderated by Marek Noetzel of Cushman & Wakefield. The panellists positively evaluated the development opportunities in the shopping centre sector in our country. Poland still has some potential and its ?green island' label has a soothing effect on the investors' moods. However, some anxiety could be felt during Mapic. The crisis in Europe has left its mark also on this industry. Most participants who have been coming to the French Riviera for many years claimed that there were fewer people than in previous events. The Polish representatives did not hide the fact that the economic situation and the general consensus about the economic downturn has had a significant impact on the market. Tenants are suffering from lower turnovers, and have started to change their strategies, by limiting expansion and waiting for what tomorrow brings. Retail chains are also decreasing the size of their stores and developers are finding it more difficult to lease new projects - even those that would have easily attracted a complete set of tenants in other times. So this year's the Mapic fair was polarised: on the one hand there was the wonderful atmosphere of Cannes, but on the other was the crisis, which continued to breathe down our necks. AC