Seatrade Med 2010 was formalised on Thursday 26 November with the official signing between partners UBM, Seatrade and the French Riviera Cruise Club. The leading cruise convention will take place from 30 November to 2 December 2010 at the Palais des Festival et des Congres, Cannes, France.

The signing took place at 1700 hrs local time, at the headquarters of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI), Nice Cote d'Azur. The contract was sealed by Dominique Esteve, president, CCI Nice Cote d'Azur, Alain Gumiel, president, French Riviera Cruise Club, and Andrew Callaghan, director of sales, Seatrade. Michael Kazakoff, vice president & group director of UBM, took part in the proceedings via video link, with Vanessa Stephens, global events director, Seatrade signing on his behalf.

Seatrade Med takes place every two years and incorporates a series of topical conference sessions, a major exhibition, a training seminar for travel agents, and an exciting social programme.

Seatrade Med 2010 will be the first time that the event is held in France.  "The Med continues to be one of the top destinations for cruise holidays", said Stephens. "Growth in the region shows no sign of stopping and many of the new ships being launched in 2010 will be operating in Mediterranean waters. The French Rivera Coast has seen a huge rise in cruise traffic over the past year, with Cannes alone expected to reach 250,000 passengers visiting in 2009. France is also very active in the shipbuilding and supply markets."

She continued "French Riviera Cruise Club offers a strong partnership, solid investment, the support of all their members, and a fantastic location. Seatrade Med is a highlight of the cruise business calendar and we're looking forward to creating a powerful, business-oriented but fun event which will draw all stakeholders to the heart of the Riviera".