Paris, the main site of the 2024 Summer Olympic Games, promises to be full of excitement for the more than 15 million visitors expected for the event. While that may be the draw for spectators and tourists, for those planning to relocate to the French capital during this time—and those tasked with helping them move—calmer conditions are more ideal. As if fully booked and overpriced taxis, hotels, Airbnbs, and restaurants weren’t enough, employees and those helping them relocate will also have to cope with the added security, reroutings, and unknown factors that can crop up at any moment with such huge events.
As crowds arrive, talent mobility professionals will have to manage additional obstacles around navigating the city and have less options to choose from when it comes to temporary housing. Some professionals advise avoiding such events to limit disruptions, but that isn’t always an option.
So, what’s different about planning for such events? How far in advance should preparations begin? What sort of scenarios must you have in mind? We asked Mel Smith, managing director of global logistics at Aaversal Global, and Vincenzo Marino, director of sales for EMEA at Dwellworks, to get their perspectives on dealing with the Games specifically and major events in general.
Be an Early Bird, and Prepare for the Worst
Marino notes that in general for such events, when it comes to temporary living or serviced accommodations, the further in advance and the more flexible the booking can be in terms of requirements, the more likely you are to find a great match at a good price. “This has been true in Paris this year as well, but those expectations can’t be met without planning a year in advance,” Marino says, which is hard for businesses that need to stay flexible and cost-conscious.
That said, there has generally been good availability in professional serviced accommodations. “Clients began their bookings earlier this year, but they have also been mindful of managing business travel and relocation around the timing of the Olympics,” Marino says. “As a result, we have not seen our service providers scrambling to find inventory.”
“Plan during the ‘blue skies’ to succeed during the ‘gray skies,’” Smith says. His company, Aaversal, practices worst-case scenarios at its annual summit, and weekly full-team meetings involve operational assessments and reviews. “Our CEO is a military veteran,” Smith says. “He lives by the principle that things change, nothing stays the same; be prepared.”
What to Prepare For
Marino says that since last year, clients have been asking what to expect in Paris in 2024. Dwellworks has been providing updates on a quarterly basis, maintaining an up-to-date landing page full of vital information. Client queries have revolved around the availability of long- and short-term housing, traffic, security, and safety, and the types of destination services coverage and support available. “Getting across and around the city will be a challenge,” Marino says. “We have advised clients that mobility activity around the time of the Olympics should be avoided, in the best interests of employees and those they may be traveling with.”
For those who need visas, the U.S. State Department expects global wait times for Paris continue to increase, with processing delays expected through mid-September, BAL notes in a recent article. The State Department advises travelers in need of a new passport to renew as soon as possible if traveling to France and Europe this summer. The French government has launched a new consulate platform to help streamline the visa application process for the 2024 Games. Consular wait times in Paris will also be affected.
Digging Down to Specifics
Marino says that during these types of events where operators are closely managing their units and expecting full occupancy, conditions like payment in advance and/or no lease cancellations may be in force. The pricing is not volatile, but it is market aware—so in computing the average daily rate across a 60-day stay, some days will have higher costs and some lower to arrive at a fair price for the market and total length of stay.
Smith, meanwhile, stresses that there is no “one-size-fits-all” approach. He recommends a multipronged strategy, involving best value pricing for partner selection, working with transportation partners that are proficient in cost-management and managing allowances for transferees. “Don’t eliminate a benefit, but augment it,” Smith says. “Delay shipping, reduce the surface allowance. Encourage your employees to be a partner in this process. Rely less on lump-sum benefits when there is a challenge that lay people may not anticipate, especially detention and demurrage issues ‘lurking.’”
Smith also advises increasing communication with transportation vendors and empowering them to use their resources to provide the best routing options. He suggests using a different arrival port that, while causing a short delay, could lead to major cost savings.
Marino says that some clients have chosen to stage moves to Paris by sending their talent to other cities in France, Germany, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and other nearby nations. “Finding temporary housing would be per standard operating procedure,” he says. “Temporary living accommodations, in general, are in good supply in Europe, following the pandemic and immediate surges in activity that followed.”
Plan Accordingly
Each summer, tourists flock en masse to major cities and other favored destinations in Europe, while many locals decide to escape the crowds. The movement of people can create transportation gridlocks, and finding affordable accommodation can be problematic. Paris is no exception, and this year will be extreme, given the two-week Summer Olympic Games, along with the buildup and post-event activities.
The crowds, transportation and accommodation challenges, boosted security, and other variables make it a unique time to help a transferee relocate to the city for work. While difficult, such moves during major events are not impossible, but require pre-planning, preparation for the unknown, and a willingness to look outside the box.