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