MEDIA RELEASE
17 October 2005

Auckland wins THE EDGE® over Asia to host major international women’s health conference

The Auckland Convention Centre at THE EDGE® has successfully fought off powerful competition from Bangladesh and Thailand to host the 2009 Asian and Oceanic Congress of Obstetrics and Gynaecology (AOCOG).

This congress, which is of the scale of the recent International Bar Association (IBA) conference that brought $20m in economic benefits to Auckland, will attract women’s health experts from around the world.

“This is the first time this congress has been held in New Zealand – and another big win for Auckland Convention Centre at THE EDGE®. We faced strong competition so our win represents very significant international recognition of the calibre of both the bid we put together and our facilities,” says THE EDGE® Chief Executive, Mr Greg Innes.

“The success of our bid to host the congress is also thanks to a highly effective partnership with the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RANZCOG) and the financial and advisory role of Conventions & Incentives NZ (CINZ),” says Mr Innes.

Alan Trotter, CINZ CEO says financial support for the bid was made available under Ministry of Tourism’s new Inter-Agency Events Group (IAEG) funding strategy and was critical to winning the conference bid for New Zealand.

“The funding is designed to attract business tourism to New Zealand. Big conventions like this mean big business for New Zealand,” he says.

Dr Eleanor Long, RANZCOG CEO says the arrival of up to 2,000 delegates and their accompanying partners from 26 different countries for the four-day convention is a real coup.

“The enormous support we received from Auckland Convention Centre at THE EDGE® and CINZ was the key to winning the 2009 congress for New Zealand,” she says.

Dr Alec Ekeroma, New Zealand Councillor to Asian and Oceanic Federation of Obstetrics and Gynaecology (AOFOG) says maternal and children’s health is a key priority in health services globally and the convention in New Zealand will bring together the international experts.

“What better place than New Zealand to discuss and celebrate successes and new technologies and practices in women’s health,” he says.

Ms Grace Tsang, Director of Sales and Marketing at The Auckland Convention Centre at THE EDGE® worked with RANZCOG to put the bid together and flew to Korea to support the bid.

“Putting bids together on behalf of our clients is something we pride ourselves on – but it is always satisfying to win a big event like this one,” she says.

A four-day RANZCOG annual scientific meeting will be held before the AOCOG congress, providing additional economic benefit to Auckland.

Auckland Convention Centre at THE EDGE® comprises of three iconic Auckland landmark buildings, the Aotea Centre, The Civic and the Auckland Town Hall along with the Aotea Square open space. THE EDGE® manages these venues and works with local New Zealand associations to bid for international conferences.

ENDS

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