World expo and specialized expo as a marketing and communication tool for business tourism in the context of the Greater Paris / Toulouse 2025 bid?[Les expositions universelles et internationales comme instrument marketing et de communication pour le tourisme d'affaires dans le cadre de la candidature du Grand Paris / Toulouse 2025 ?]

The purpose of this communication is firstly to relate the original experience of Toulouse Métropole applying as a satellite city for the world expo of Greater Paris 2025, of which I was able to order the entire geohistorical and touristic structure of the file. with the representative of Tourism of the Metropolis. Through a participatory and observational methodology, we arrive at four conclusions concerning the management of mega-events at the local level and in particular concerning territorial equity. (1) First of all, it is possible to integrate international events at the local level thanks to the choice of the cultural theme that we want to back up with it, we will underline the importance of the cultural Olympiads, but also the strategic choice of the theme of the recognized or specialized international exhibition. We observe the identity construction of an image of the city and an urban marketing having a resonance on a national scale. (2) It is also obvious that the question of transport and relations between the host city and the other associated metropolises becomes an essential issue which often clings to longer-term strategies through land use planning and sometimes polemics such as the arrival or not of an LGV line in Toulouse. It is necessary to accompany by transport the important flows of visitors, before, during and after the event. (3) Beyond that, national and international tourist flows make it possible to review certain municipal policies or to maintain more massive, regular and growth-enhancing flows such as business tourism, which is sometimes largely forgotten or underestimated by others. French or foreign metropolises finding themselves in the same situation (integrate and rethink tourist packages and communication). (4) Finally, integration through sports and cultural cooperation is also possible, but it remains an element to be put in place through local infrastructures and ephemeral associative festivals based on the acceptance of all and modes of financing sometimes insufficient, but including the public-private partnership. In conclusion, to justify the holding of mega-events, their budgets and the inherent nuisances; the host cities and the national actors of the project realize that it is more and more necessary to think about this type of event on a national scale and to highlight multiple cooperation's with other territories such as regional metropolises as tourist entrance gates. A goal of spatial and social justice is emerging. This reasoning is also explained by the fact of being able to obtain all the votes (national and regional votes) and the necessary funding in the face of increasingly significant controversies over their costs and complex organizations.