The Pacific Area Incentives and Conferences Expo (PAICE 2009) is set to feature a small number of hosted buyers from Australia for the first time.

The Pacific Blue stand at PAICE 2008

According to PAICE 2009 show manager Tess Mason, these buyers will be on pre-appointment programmes and will provide extra business opportunities for exhibitors.

She said while PAICE remains a show targeted at New Zealanders who organise and book outbound corporate and group travel from New Zealand, it was a strategic move to include Australians for the first time.

“It is important that exhibitions such as this evolve and bringing just a few Australian incentive organisers and corporate travel managers across the Tasman is a logical extension to the event,” she said.

Mason said the move was in response to demand from Australian buyers who had heard about PAICE and felt it would be a good forum in which to meet suppliers for their next event.

“We sent out a promotional email to Australian professional conference organisers and immediately received more requests than we could accommodate,” she said.

“We are specifically targeting Australian buyers who do not attend other exhibitions, so that PAICE exhibitors can see some new faces,” Mason said.

PAICE will have five key Australian buyers on appointments and Mason said the number will be reviewed for 2010.

The event also aims to have at least 30 hosted buyers from Wellington, Christchurch and other parts of New Zealand on appointments, along with around 200 qualified Auckland buyers, most on a free-flow basis.

PAICE 2009 is being held on September 8 at SKYCITY Auckland Convention Centre from 9am to 5pm.