Tourism Bay of Plenty has won the opportunity to host the 2011 Inbound Tour Operators Council (ITOC) Conference.
The Bay of Plenty entered into a competitive bid against Taupo and the Wairarapa for the right to host the conference at this year's annual ITOC conference held in Blenheim. Each region had just five minutes to present their case to conference delegates, who then voted. The winner was announced at the conference dinner on Wednesday, August 18.

The Sebel Trinity Wharf Hotel is the location for the 2011 Tour Operators Council (ITOC) Conference.

"This is exciting news for the Bay of Plenty and it'll have positive effects for the region, both in the short-term and the long-term," says Tourism Bay of Plenty general manager Tim Burgess.
"We won by a landslide which shows how keen people are to come to the Bay of Plenty."
The conference will be based at the Sebel and with some of the key tourism stakeholders attending it will provide a unique opportunity to showcase the region to the tourism industry.
The Bay of Plenty Convention Bureau was established by Tourism Bay of Plenty in 2009 to specifically target the corporate, incentive and conference market. Support from the local industry has been strong as the corporate market provides the region with a high source of visitors outside of peak season.
Bay of Plenty Convention Bureau manager Esther Goldsworthy says the Convention Bureau receives a number of conference enquiries each week and interest in the Bay of Plenty as a conference destination is increasing each month.
"The enquiries range from team building activities for 20 people to a conference of 300 plus delegates and research indicates that each delegate is worth $400 per day to the region they are conferencing in," says Esther.
The conference, meetings and incentive market, often referred to as 'business tourism' is the most lucrative tourism market. It is worth $1billion annually to New Zealand and $750m of this comes from business within New Zealand.
The benefits of a conference to the region extend well beyond venue and accommodation providers who are involved in hosting the conference delegates. Experience providers, transport companies, hospitality and retail outlets all directly benefit from the increase in visitors to the region.