WPCO Alliance Information

The World PCO Alliance has seen a total growth of 15% in 2013 vs. 2012. The Alliance members, consisting of 19 Professional Congress Organisers worldwide have handled over 500 congresses with over 450,000 delegates in 2013. Per Ankaer, from ICS in Denmark, President of the Alliance says: “The constant development of sharing knowledge internationally among our members as well as using best practices has meant that more associations and organisations have put trust in WPCOA members in 2013 making the local PCOs stronger in their home markets and taking the lead in the development of new concepts in the meeting industry.” Our Japanese member, Congress Corporation has opened their own - Knowledge Capital - Congrès Convention Center (CCC) – north of Osaka Station, transversed by 2.5 million people daily. CCC is the first new convention center in Japan to be built, managed and operated by a PCO, and accommodates over 3,000 delegates. A WPCOA study shows that the lead time is getting shorter and shorter, also the trend is toward larger events, and the flexibility and organisation of the congress organisers needs to be able to adapt quickly to constant change. AOS Conventions & Events, Malaysia and ICS in Denmark have experienced the growing trend of shorter lead time for business contracting in the last 12 months. In February 2014, AOSCE secured 3 large events and all 3 were held that year. In 2013 ICS secured a large event of 8,000 delegates with only 3 weeks lead time. Shorter lead times do leave less time for conference teams to prepare, but it emphasizes the need for efficiency.