The French Riviera Is More Than Tourism: How Media Relations Can Reveal the Companies That Innovate and Accelerate Their Growth

A Territory Only Half Told

When someone says “French Riviera”, most people don’t immediately think of the blue economy, family-owned SMEs hiring locally, or the businesses shaping the future.Maybe, if they pause to think, they might mention the perfume industry of Grasse or the tech ecosystem of Sophia Antipolis.

Between Nice and Cannes, the collective imagination often stops at a postcard: sunshine, the sea, festivals.An image so magnetic it attracts the world — yet ironically, it erases everything else.

Because behind this seductive façade lies a different territory.In the Alpes-Maritimes, 153,974 active businesses generate €78 billion in revenue.Cutting-edge companies. Innovations that transform entire sectors. Skills exported worldwide.

This discrepancy is not insignificant. It has real consequences — both for the perception of the region and for the companies that keep it alive.

The Cost of Invisibility

“When a company isn’t seen, it isn’t considered.”

A business leader recently told me:“We work with international partners. We export high-tech solutions… but here, in our own department, no one even knows we exist.”

This isn’t about pride. It’s a direct economic handicap. Because invisibility comes with a cost:

→ Recruitment. On a job market where young people associate the Riviera with tourism, it’s difficult to attract engineers, export sales professionals, or qualified industrial and tech profiles.

→ Credibility. Without media recognition, it's harder to convince investors, reassure major clients, or negotiate from a position of strength.

→ Development. How can a company access national markets or strategic partnerships if, locally, it remains an anecdote?

The issue is economic, territorial — and even social.

A Living, Thriving Ecosystem Under the Radar

Let’s look at the numbers.In 2024, 27,199 new businesses were created in the Alpes-Maritimes.Industry alone accounts for 70,000 jobs, €15 billion in revenue, and 8,000 companies.

These companies are here. They build, they export, they create value.

But how many are identified as key economic players?How many shine beyond their immediate ecosystem?

Very few.Because they don’t dare communicate — or they don’t realise the impact it could have.

As a result, the dominant narrative remains the same: tourism.

The Dual Role of Media Relations

This is precisely where media relations become strategic.PR reaches the widest audience possible — from general public to investors, from B2C to B2B.

Not simply to “communicate”, but to rebalance a narrative and transform the trajectory of local companies.

Leverage #1: Changing the Region’s Image

When innovative companies speak up — sharing their projects, hiring plans, and innovations — the narrative evolves.

The French Riviera becomes more than a holiday destination.It becomes:

• an economic hub,

• a land of opportunity,

• a magnet for talent and investment,

• a region with the potential to become a true Silicon Valley for France’s innovation economy.

This is a long-term, structural impact.It reshapes collective perception — for young people, for investors, and for the media looking for new stories.

Leverage #2: Accelerating Company Growth

Beyond regional reputation, PR directly serves the company itself.

Well-designed media relations deliver tangible, measurable benefits:

→ Immediate credibilityA feature in Nice-Matin, Tribuca, Les Échos, or a specialised media outlet is an external validation:“This company matters.”It reassures prospects, partners, and investors.

→ Easier recruitmentIn a competitive job market, being seen as a reputable employer makes all the difference.Talents look for meaningful, recognised, visible companies.

→ Commercial opportunitiesMedia coverage opens doors to decision-makers you can’t reach alone.It positions the company as an expert — attracting major accounts.

→ Higher perceived valuePR doesn’t directly generate sales — but it enables companies to sell better, faster, and at a higher price.It turns a product into a reference. A CEO into a thought leader.

→ Easier access to fundingInvestors, banks, and public institutions look for credible, legitimate companies.Visibility is a reassuring signal that speeds up fundraising and financing.

→ Sector leadershipBecoming a reference on a topic or a territory is a strong advantage — for tenders, partnerships, and future innovation.

Why Don’t Local Companies Do It Already?

Because they often believe:

• “We’re not big enough.”

• “Journalists won’t be interested.”

• “We’re B2B — PR doesn’t matter.”

• “We have other priorities.”

T

hese concerns are understandable — but they’re based on a myth:that media only want big announcements, spectacular events, or well-known brands.

In reality, it’s the opposite.

Economic journalists — local, national, and sector-specific — look for true stories, emerging trends, and companies that embody regional transformation.They’re eager to tell something other than the Cannes Film Festival.

They’re waiting for these stories — as long as someone knows how to present them properly, and understands their constraints and newsroom realities.

A Virtuous Circle: When Territory and Companies Grow Together

Here’s what happens when one company speaks out:

1. It improves its own trajectory: credibility, recruitment, business.

2. It contributes to shifting the region’s narrative toward innovation, blue economy, industry, and tech.

3. This new narrative strengthens the territory’s attractiveness for talent and investors.

4. Which benefits all companies — even those that haven’t yet communicated.

It’s a domino effect.A virtuous circle.Each voice elevates the whole ecosystem.

The Right Moment Is Now

Economic transformations are accelerating: funding, employment, industrial sovereignty, maritime and technological innovation.

Companies that become visible today gain a head start in:

• recruitment

• market trust

• strategic partnerships

• accessing national and international clients

The question is no longer:“Should we communicate?”but “Can we still afford not to?”