EBACE, quo vadis?

Eagles soar because they always focus on their goal. One will never become an eagle by thinking like a chicken. Having said that, there is no approval for conferences with grotesque show characteristics, the gigantism, and the prohibitive costs. The eagle flies in the sky, but nests on the ground. Which brings us back down-to-earth to find the location bold enough to elevate the mission of a new-format European business aviation summit. 

 Conducting an analysis is similar to preparing a feasibility study. It starts from the foundational level, with the primary consideration for all participant groups being the potential benefits they may receive. In other words: “What’s in it for me?” The estimated length of a full location feasibility study is typically  executive‑grade: 25–40 pages and industry‑grade: 60–90 pages. This article allows only 2 pages max.  

 Organizing a European Business Aviation Summit requires careful planning to ensure benefits for attendees, sponsors, speakers, media, and the host venue. Affordability is crucial due to limited budgets. The event targets industry professionals, not enthusiasts or self-promoters.

 EBACE faced issues by being hosted at an ideal venue, yet the costs were prohibitive. AERO encounters a similar challenge, relying on a single site; while it's not as costly, its location isn't suitable for an event with a global scope. Perhaps this year marked its peak as an alternative option. It had the vibes that EBACE lacked. But with all due respect for what has been achieved, it is not the ultimate solution. 

 To successfully sell, it's important to reach customers where they are. Aviation brands like Dassault Aviation, JETEX, San Marino Aircraft Registry, and VISTAJET partner with the Monaco Yacht Show because it attracts HNWIs (high net worth individuals) and aligns with private jet and yachting industries. Airbus Corporate Jet and Helicopters, Leonardo Helicopters, DC-Aviation, GlobeAir, have also been seen there. The MYS features aviation OEMs and service providers within its exhibitor ecosystem as part of its luxury‑mobility lineup. However, our goal is not to create a yacht show. 

 A major segment of the private/executive aviation clientele resides or spends a significant amount of time at the French Riviera. From that perspective it could be the Summit’s catchment area. Vision needs a stage, location is a catalyst and amplifier of ambition. The Riviera isn’t just beautiful; it is a global symbol of capital, culture, and convening power. The Summit can weaponize that symbolism to become the summit where aviation, investment, and imagination align. The Riviera corridor (Nice–Monaco–Cannes) concentrates more UHNW capital per square kilometer than any other aviation-adjacent region in Europe. Private equity, family offices, and creative‑capital elites are physically present there, not in the traditional conference cities. 

 Nice airport is consistently top 3 in Europe for business aviation movements, often surpassing Geneva and Paris during peak seasons with unmatched density of UHNW (U stands for Ultra), finance, tech, and creative capital. The growth curve is upward, not flat. The new summit can be the global meeting point where OEMs come to court the world’s most concentrated UHNW and creative‑capital audience. OEMs already stage demos, deliveries, and client events on the Riviera. Charter operators report higher yield per movement in the Riviera than in legacy hubs.

 Nice offers an ideal combination of affordability, accessibility, efficient logistics, and attendee experience. The city features extensive convention infrastructure, including hotels and waterfront venues, and boasts the fastest airport-to-venue transfer in any major European city. With reliable weather, excellent business aviation facilities, and competitive mid-range hotel pricing, Nice provides prestige without Geneva-level costs.

 As mentioned earlier, various aspects are considered in a study. Nice Côte d’Azur Airport promotes itself as one of Europe’s leaders in airport decarbonization, highlighting its Level 5 Airport Carbon Accreditation (highest possible level), 100% renewable energy use, and major EU‑funded electrification projects. The airport is positioned as a global leader in airport climate action and to signal credibility to airlines, regulators, and investors.

 As the narrative began with an eagle it will end with the same species. “If you want to soar like an eagle in life, you can't be flocking with the turkeys!" Who the heck said so? Warren Buffett! He has the reputation as one of the most successful investors in history. What does he have to do with business aviation? He had long criticized corporate jets as symbols of executive excess. He turned from skeptic to believer. His relationship with NetJets began as a customer who fell in love with the fractional ownership model. He ultimately bought the company. 

 Buffett’s principle is that when empirical evidence challenges existing beliefs, one should place confidence in the data rather than established doctrines. The Riviera location is chosen because every piece of empirical evidence—traffic flows, capital concentration, operator density, brand adjacency, and narrative resonance—points there, even when legacy doctrine says, “business aviation summits belong in Geneva, Dubai, or Paris.” The industry’s actual center of gravity has shifted. The highest-value conversations happen in places where capital and culture already live. The Riviera is the gravitational well for the next decade. A summit in that location positions itself as the summit that listens to the world as it is, not as it was and not where its past was celebrated.