Jan / Feb 2010 
NZ secures the PCO event - Christchurch host city
The Professional Conference Organisers (PCO) Association will hold its 2011 conference and trade show in Christchurch. The event is likely to attract close to 200 PCOs, primarily from Australia, as well as sponsors, media and exhibitors.
Leonie Ashford, manager of the Christchurch and Canterbury Convention Bureau, says the win was a nice way to finish a busy 2009.
‘We are delighted to have the opportunity to host the PCO Association Conference in 2011. The conference and incentive community in Christchurch is united in working together to ensure this conference will be the most successful and memorable event for all those attending.
‘Christchurch has a strong reputation for our professional delivery of major conferences and events,’ she says.
The event will be at Vbase’s Christchurch Convention Centre.
The 2009 conference in Canberra, from December 13 to 15 attracted 180 PCO delegates and 121 others. Peter Sugg, a director of the PCO Association, says the group wanted to show its support for New Zealand. Kiwis turned up in force for the Canberra event and the association has a growing membership base on this side of the Tasman.
Nine New Zealanders are certified event managers, having been accredited with the PCO Association (see also page 7) and their names were announced at the Canberra conference.
Sugg was thankful to Conventions & Incentives New Zealand (CINZ) chief executive Alan Trotter for organising the 2011 bids - which came from Auckland and Wellington as well as Christchurch. ‘Our only prerequisite was that the destination has to have good general access from the east coast of Australia.’
He says the bid from Christchurch was ‘fantastic’, with a number of activities planned which will showcase the city and give a good indication of what is available to Australian PCOs.
‘It is our intention to hold the conference in New Zealand every three or four years. It will depend, to a certain extent, on the success of 2011,’ says Sugg.
The 2010 conference will be held in Hobart, Tasmania.
