Organisers pleased with support of annual conference by both operators and suppliers
Haere mai! Or welcome.
Staying true to the traditional Maori greeting, the New Zealand Bus & Coach Association (NZBCA) Annual Conference drew hundreds of bus industry representatives from local and international waters.
Delegates were welcomed to the Waikato Events & Convention Centre – otherwise known as Claudelands – with the Annual General Meeting (AGM) on October 8 followed by the welcome events sponsored by Thermo King and CablePrice Scania.
More than 250 delegates attended the three day event and social functions held from October 8 to 10, and 34 were on display throughout the conference with 50 suppliers stands presents.
The conference encompassed all things Aotearoa – the traditional name for New Zealand – from a beautiful drive for many from Auckland Airport to Hamilton in the heart of the scenic Waikato to a visit to the country’s number one tourist attraction, the nearby ‘Hobbiton’.
But while an annual conference is always a chance for old industry friends to catch up, there was also a serious focus on health and safety.
NZBCA chief executive officer Barry Kidd is pleased with how the conference progressed over the few days and hopes all were able to take away some valuable information.
He says suppliers turned out in force for the conference “reflecting a time when there was significant investment by operators in new vehicles”.
Kidd says the association received great feedback from exhibitors and delegates alike.
“I would like to thank the suppliers and members for their support,” he says.
“I would particularly acknowledge the support of our key suppliers CablePrice Scania, Penske MAN, Allen Denning and BCI.”