MAPIC 2026

3-4 November 2026, Cannes MAPIC takes place every autumn in Cannes and remains one of the few global events where the future of physical retail is discussed through real deals, not presentations. MAPIC takes place every autumn in Cannes at the Palais des Festivals and remains one of the few global events where the future […]

3-4 November 2026, Cannes

MAPIC takes place every autumn in Cannes and remains one of the few global events where the future of physical retail is discussed through real deals, not presentations.

MAPIC takes place every autumn in Cannes at the Palais des Festivals and remains one of the few global events where the future of physical retail is discussed through real deals rather than presentations. Organized by RX (formerly Reed Exhibitions) under the Informa group, the event has anchored the international retail real estate calendar for more than three decades and serves as the principal annual meeting point for European, Middle Eastern, North African, and increasingly Asian and Latin American retail real estate professionals seeking to transact rather than to network in the abstract.

For several days, Cannes turns into a working marketplace for retail real estate. Developers, mall owners, investors, and international brands use MAPIC to negotiate expansion plans, reassess portfolios, and test how retail fits into mixed-use destinations, city centers, and large-scale redevelopment projects. The agenda combines mainstage panels on macro themes, including the future of department stores, the integration of food-and-beverage and entertainment anchors, the role of retail in mixed-use urban regeneration, and the capital markets dynamics affecting retail real estate investment, alongside a substantial exhibition floor where mall operators, developers, regional retail groups, franchise operators, and the broader vendor ecosystem build their annual deal pipelines. The structured matchmaking program connects retailers seeking expansion with developers offering pipeline projects, with particular density of activity in the Middle East and North Africa cluster, the Central and Eastern European cluster, and the French and Iberian markets that have historically driven the event’s commercial activity. The MAPIC Awards and the various format-specific sessions (Leisure Re:Imagine, Outlet Summit, Food and Beverage Summit) extend the core programming into specialty verticals.

What makes MAPIC valuable is its focus on the economics of physical space. Conversations are less about trends and more about viability: which formats still work, which locations are losing relevance, and how shopping centers are being repositioned to stay competitive in a retail landscape where traditional anchors have weakened, and the role of physical retail in brand customer-acquisition economics continues to evolve. For shopping center operators, leasing teams, and international retailers planning Europe-Middle East-Africa expansion, MAPIC offers the highest-density annual opportunity to engage with the regional retail real estate decision-making community in a single concentrated venue. The event’s deal-execution focus distinguishes it from broader retail conferences that emphasize trend-spotting and technology demonstrations, with mall operators in particular using MAPIC as the central annual checkpoint for tenant-pipeline review and portfolio strategy across the regions where European-headquartered retail real estate capital is most active. malls, leasing, or international retail expansion, MAPIC offers a clear snapshot of where the industry stands and where capital is actually moving next.