An opportunity to meet key conference organisers – Less than 10 stands remain

With just a few stands remaining available, the Canterbury Conferences and Events Expo 2010 is shaping up to be the most effective and affordable way for suppliers in the region to meet corporate event planners from Canterbury, New Zealand and Australia.

Organised by ProMag Publishing on behalf of the Christchurch and Canterbury Convention Bureau, the expo showcases venues, caterers, accommodation providers, speakers and entertainers, team building companies, transport operators, activity providers and other event suppliers to the business tourism sector.

Visitors will include at least 20 hosted buyers from other parts of New Zealand, as well as about 10 hosted buyers from Australia.

The expo is being held on Tuesday August 17 at Hotel Grand Chancellor Christchurch.

For the first time all hosted buyers will be on pre-appointment schedules, ensuring they see and spend time with the exhibitors they are interested in doing business with.

Local organisers of functions, workshops, meetings, seminars, roadshows, conferences and other corporate events are also being invited to the expo. They will have the option of being on an appointment schedule for the first time or walking through at leisure.

Both locals and ‘out of town’ buyers will be enticed to the expo by a seminar programme, entertainer showcases and optional famil tours.

ProMag Publishing director Stu Freeman says that some of New Zealand’s leading corporate conference and event organisers have already signed up to attend as visitors.

‘These people have all signalled they are keen to do business in Christchurch and Canterbury – otherwise they would not take the time out of their busy schedules to attend. There is no other forum where Canterbury based suppliers can meet and promote their company to this many key organisers from New Zealand and Australia.’

Freeman says face to face interaction is widely acknowledged as the best form of marketing and promotion. He says it is a far more cost effective solution than making individual sales calls.

‘By the time a company identifies potential customers, makes appointments, with the inevitable knock backs, then purchases travel and accommodation the costs will blow out far more than attending an exhibition such as this. At the Canterbury Expo 10, the buyers will be in one place at one time and they are approaching suppliers in a positive and receptive mood.’

Exhibition manager Tess Mason says that with five weeks to go before the expo, more than 52 of the available 60 stands have been purchased.

‘Anyone still intending to take a stand should be in quickly to take advantage of pre-publicity and exposure on the Canterbury Expo ’10 website (www.canterburyexpo.co.nz),’ Mason says. ‘We have already started publicising the event with e-newsletters, press releases and targeted advertising campaigns. However, the market is about to hear a lot more about the exhibition, with a direct marketing campaign involving a drop of about 9500 post cards around Christchurch.’