Amid growing concerns about the spread of the coronavirus, organizers of MIPIM 2020 have rescheduled the international commercial real estate conference to June 2-5 in Cannes, France.

“The well-being of our clients and staff is our priority,” said Reed MIDEM Chief Executive Paul Zilk. “Given the evolving context, the best course of action is to postpone MIPIM to June.”

Nearly 27,000 real estate professionals were expected to attend the four-day conference, which was originally scheduled for March 10-13 at the Palais des Festivals in Cannes. Since 2013, several Illinois REALTORS® have attended MIPIM, and this year was no exception.

For the second consecutive year, the state REALTOR® association offered stipends to offset costs for 12 individual members. The stipend program encourages repeat attendance by REALTORS® who have experience working with international customers and it helps less experienced global agents get exposure to a broader audience.

The annual event features a trade show, presentations and conference sessions ranging from urban growth to green development. Illinois REALTORS® is scheduled to have a booth located in a pavilion set up by the National Association of REALTORS®.

“This is not a decision we have taken lightly,” said Zilk. “We believe these new dates will provide the international MIPIM community with the opportunity to achieve their business objectives. We are grateful to our clients for their support and constructive input during this challenging period, and we look forward to talking with them in the coming days about MIPIM in June.”