Dublin. IAPCO today confirmed that Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Leo Varadkar, will address the IAPCO 2013 Annual Meeting, in Dublin on 15th February. The conference opens on Thursday 14th February. As the delegates attending will be some of the world leaders in the field of business tourism, it was seen as an ideal opportunity for Minister Varadkar to address this important community.
 
Minister Varadkar welcomed the decision to host the conference in Dublin: ‘I’m delighted that some of the world’s leading professionals in business tourism are coming to Dublin for this conference. Their decision to choose Dublin shows that we have a significant asset in the Convention Centre Dublin for hosting major events. This is a real success for our ongoing strategy to promote Ireland as a centre for international conferences’.
 
‘We are delighted that Minister Varadkar will deliver the welcome address to this prestigious  group of global thought leaders said Nicola McGrane, Managing Director of Conference Partners and co-host of IAPCO 2013 ‘His presence sets the tone and will showcase the collaborative approach to doing business in Ireland. The efforts made by the Irish tourism industry have been exemplary, particularly when it comes to strategic development and growth. We not only have a lot to learn from our visiting delegation, but we also believe we have a lot of knowledge to impart.’

Taking place in the Westbury Hotel, the three day conference is the first time the annual event has been held in Ireland in over 30 years. The theme of the programme will be ‘Riding the winds of change – new strategies for PCOs’ and will explore the new strategic nature of the PCO, moving towards long-term partnerships as opposed to short-term solution providers.
 
www.iapco2013.ie