The round table on June 25th organized by La Voix du Nord on the theme of the attractiveness of Calais.

Round table evening "Calais is changing its face"

Tourism professionals, elected officials, investors and cultural operators met on June 25 at the Cité de la Dentelle et de la Mode for an evening of discussions organized by La Voix du Nord. around the major transformations of the territory. Objective: to share a collective vision of the attractiveness of Calais and outline the next steps to make it a holiday destination.

making tourism a lever for transformation

Faced with the city's changes, the message conveyed by the Mayor of Calais and President of Grand Calais Terres & Mers – Natacha Bouchart – is clear: Calais has dared to make tourism a major focus of its development. The construction projects underway on the seafront, the rise in cultural offerings and the gradual development of the city centre are shaping a destination that wants to retain its visitors, well beyond just passing through.

This dynamic is part of an XXL approach, which goes beyond municipal borders. The 14 municipalities of Grand Calais Terres & Mers are called upon to play an active role, each promoting its natural landscapes, its heritage or its events. Tourism is becoming a collective affair, serving of a shared attractiveness.

Supervised swimming at Calais beach in summer, an ideal spot to stay cool.

Calais Ville SNCF Train Station, the Imag'in Bus Station and the Street-At artwork by KogaOne

Mayor of Calais, President of the Grand Calais Terres & Mers agglomeration

Natacha Bouchart

"We are powerful in Calais, we have resources and a diversified economy. The strategy was to make tourism the driving force of renewal. We wanted to do things differently, and we succeeded. We had to know how to take risks, and we dared. Tourism is the image we project of the region."

Increased and diversified attendance

Since the installation of the Dragon de Calais, tourist numbers have seen a significant increase. 30% of visitors are foreigners, mainly Germans and Belgians, who come to enjoy the wide open spaces and the coastline. The gradual return of British tourists, once emblematic, is also among the priorities, with a reinforced strategy around collaboration with the Transmanche stakeholders.

These developments are visible in the local economic impact. Tourist reception, leisure activities, restaurants, and shops are directly benefiting from this renewed visitor numbers. Local professionals are therefore encouraged to embrace this dynamic and extend it to their own offerings.

A family on the Cape Blanc-Nez lookout point equipped with binoculars to observe the panorama.

Communications Director of Calais XXL and the Dragon Company

Stephane Ribeiro Da Ascencao

"Our teams work all year round to attract visitors. Thirty percent of our tourists are foreigners, mostly Germans and Belgians, who want to enjoy our coastline. In Calais, we finally realized there was a beach. (…) There's a before and after Dragon, and we can feel it in the economic impact and the figures."

A strategic hotel project

The evening also allowed the unveiling the arrival of an international tourism player in Calais : the Van der Valk hotel group, already established in many European countries. Its future four-star+ establishment will open its doors in 2029, facing the sea and bordering the Dragon City of Calais.

Day view of the Van Der Valk Calais Hotel project

Night view of the Van Der Valk Calais hotel project on the seafront.

Representative of the Belgian hotel group Van der Valk

Mathieu Wohrmann

"The renovation of the Calais waterfront is just the beginning; it's a driving force, and we need to get moving now. Our group is 100% convinced of the positive development of the city."

With 140 rooms, a spa, a gym and a restaurant, this hotel will enrich the city's high-end accommodation offering. More than 52 million euros will be invested in this project, which will ultimately generate around a hundred jobs, all of which will be recruited locally. The first key hires are planned for a year before the opening, in order to train the teams in the group's hotels. This project reinforces the transformation of the seafront into a real living and leisure space, designed for tourists but also for professionals on the move.

The Arrival of the Travel Monitor Lizard

Another highlight of the evening was the presentation of the future Varan de voyage, a monumental mechanical work by the La Machine Company. A cousin of the Dragon, the Varan will travel through the city's neighborhoods starting in November 2025, creating new interactions with residents and visitors.

La Machine Company, true to its commitment to Calais, has confirmed its commitment to a long-term collaboration. Other projects could follow, extending the artistic and tourist adventure already underway and making Calais an open-air stage, unique in France.

Follow the arrival of the Varan

Focus on the construction of the eye of the travel monitor lizard

Communications Director, La Machine Company

Fredette Lampre

"Here, we have the best audience in France, and I say that without flattery. When François Delaroziere was approached to make a machine, he designed several; he was inspired by the town. The Compagnie de la Machine has a close relationship with this town. It was a no-brainer to come to Calais."

Focus

Calais to the 'Coast'

A meeting presented by La Voix du Nord

This evening was part of a broader initiative initiated by La Voix du Nord, in connection with a supplement published on June 18th, dedicated to the renewal of Calais, the newspaper wanted to extend the reflection on the ground, by bringing together those who make the Calais of today and build that of tomorrow.

Discover the supplement