Held at the foot of the European Parliament, the Internationaux de Strasbourg is racking up titles: it’s the no. 1 women’s tennis tournament in France, the no. 1 sports event in the Grand Est region, and France’s no. 1 eco-friendly event! The tournament in Alsace serves as a springboard on the WTA tour calendar for the French Open (Roland Garros) that traditionally begins the following week.
The 2024 edition was held from 18 to 25 May and featured a prestigious draw of the world’s best players including no. 5 and former no. 1 Karolina Pliskova (CZE) alongside several players from the top 20: no. 13 Jasmine Paolini (ITA), no. 14 Beatriz Haddad Maia (BRA), no. 15 Danielle Collins (USA), no. 16 Ekaterina Alexandrova, no. 17 Liudmila Samsonova, and no. 18 Elina Svitolina (UKR).
As Strasbourg takes centre stage of the tennis world every May, the off-court activities create a vibrant reception hub during the eight-day event, making it one of the most sought-after hospitality events in the region!
The area’s top businesses are present at the Village des IS, where 3,000 guests stroll among the clay courts all day and into the night, with a host of sustainable B2B activities on offer: business lunches, brunches, partner circles, and more.
Committed to an environmentally friendly approach since 2010, the event is certified as a level 3 Éco-Manifestation d’Alsace (the highest ranking). This certification is awarded to events that comply with a minimum of 75 criteria in areas such as overall management, energy, waste, awareness, communication, and transportation.
In Strasbourg, more than 80 actions have been implemented by the tournament to reduce its carbon footprint to 254 teqCO2.
A few examples:
- Operation New Balls: 20,000 tennis balls have been recycled since 2010
- Management and recycling of bio-waste from food service. Uneaten food (120 kg/year) is collected and redistributed to local associations
- Recycling tarps to make promotional items
- Reusable cups to reduce plastic waste
- Collecting plastic bottle caps for the non-profit “Les Bouchons d’Amour 67”
- Partnership with the “Compagnie des Transports Strasbourgeois” and “SNCF” for discounts on travel tickets
- Free parking for spectators who carpool (3 or more people in a car).
- Partnership with BMW to provide electric and hybrid cars for the transportation of players and staff
- Regular carbon footprint assessments
- Reduction of carbon emissions by nearly 30% since 2010
Details can be found here.
