Some of New Zealand’s top public relations specialists are heading to Hamilton & Waikato following the announcement that the Public Relations Institute of New Zealand (PRINZ) will be holding their annual conference in the region in 2018.

Held at Hamilton’s Claudelands Conference & Exhibition Centre on May 30-31, the conference is expecting more than 150 delegates, with a visit to Hobbiton Movie Set and other Waikato experiences on the programme.

PRINZ CEO Elaine Koller said the ease of Hamilton’s location, the strength of the membership and active Waikato branch committee influenced the decision to come to the region.

“This is the first time that the annual conference has been held in the Waikato in PRINZ’s 63-year history. The decision to come to Waikato is testimony to the strong support of our Waikato members and local committee, plus the fact that the Waikato is just a couple of hours’ drive for many of our PRINZ members in the Central North Island, or a short flight for those further afield,” Koller said.

Heather Claycomb, Director of Hamilton-based HMC Communications and Waikato regional representative on the PRINZ National Council, said the conference was a great chance for PR industry colleagues to come together to learn, network and have some fun.

“We have a strong community of public relations professionals here in the Waikato and collectively we are excited about showcasing Hamilton and the wider region to members of PRINZ.”

“As the country’s leading communicators, PRINZ members are continually looking to upskill and stay on the cutting edge of the public relations profession.  Participating in our annual conference is a great way to stay on top.”

Hamilton & Waikato CEO Jason Dawson said the PRINZ conference was a great win for the destination, with many influential people attending the conference.

“We have some of the most experienced and emerging talent within the public relations and communications industry in our country coming to our great region. These delegates work across all industries, are well-connected, utilise social and mainstream media and aren’t shy to tell others about their experiences,” Dawson says.

“Our central location, fantastic conference spaces, easy travel times and great options for activities and dining are just some of the reasons why Hamilton and Waikato are now the third largest region behind Auckland and Wellington for conventions, meetings and business events (year ending June 2017), based on delegate days and number of business events.”

“We look forward to hosting them in the Mighty Waikato and showcasing the best we have to offer” he added.