PCOA Impresses Event Professionals at Their Own Game

As the premier body for event professionals in Australia and New Zealand, the Professional Conference Organisers Association Inc (PCOA) has hosted an annual three-day conference every December since 2008 – bringing together hundreds of event professionals to network, learn, and lead.

In December 2024, Brisbane hosted the 16th edition of the event – PCOA24 – with a theme that captured the industry’s momentum: Accelerate: People. Technology. Experience.

Offering a curated mix of keynotes, panels, and workshops, the event aimed to equip attendees with practical insights and a forward-thinking perspective.

“Our goal with PCOA24 was to give our members a strategic advantage for the year ahead – and help shape their long-term careers,” said Maxine Tod, Director of Business Partnerships. “This year’s theme encouraged us to not only look at emerging issues in our industry, but also how we respond and adapt together.”

The event attracted over 550 professionals from across the region, with extensive networking opportunities and space to explore pressing topics like sustainability, mental wellbeing, community impact, and tech-driven change.

“Beyond networking, we also wanted to ensure PCOA24 was a celebration of our industry,” shared Cindy Axisa, Administration Manager. “Social events, entertainment and lots of fun make for a vibrant conference, creating lifelong memories for attendees.”

High expectations from a highly discerning crowd

Hosting a conference for professional conference organisers comes with a unique level of pressure.

“Holding an event for professional event organisers can be intimidating – they’re a very discerning group,” said Maxine. “They know what good looks like, so expectations are always high.”

That’s why the PCOA team is always looking for ways to deliver fresh, high-caliber experiences – and why they’ve trusted EventsAir as their platform partner for nearly a decade. According to PCOA, EventsAir’s robust, all-in-one functionality makes it an ideal choice for delivering high-caliber events for conference professionals.

“We’ve used EventsAir for many years – not just for our annual conference, but for a wide range of events and membership management,” Maxine shared. “The platform gives us everything we need to run complex events confidently and professionally. What’s more, the EventsAir support team is always available to assist with any questions or issues we may encounter in the leadup and during the event.”

A trusted platform that delivers

These days, serious event professionals require an all-in-one event management platform like EventsAir to be successful – especially considering how quickly things can change when you’re planning an event.  For the PCOA team, the ability to manage content, registration, communication, and reporting in one place is essential.

“With so many moving parts, you need a system that keeps everything connected,” said Cindy. “We value how EventsAir supports real-time updates and helps reduce the chance of human error when changes happen close to the event.”

Having one platform also means less complexity when it comes to managing partners, speakers, and delegates. At PCOA24, the team enhanced this even further by integrating trusted supplier solutions directly into EventsAir – connecting with Sprintr for onsite check-in and badge printing and Entegy for their event app. This streamlined approach allowed real-time updates to flow automatically across platforms, giving attendees a professional, connected experience from arrival to final session, while saving the PCOA team time and ensuring accuracy behind the scenes.

“The flexibility and scalability of the platform means we can customise the experience year-to-year, without reinventing the wheel,” Maxine added.

And when questions come up, the EventsAir support team is close by.

“Having 24/7 support – especially in the lead-up and during the event – gives us real peace of mind,” said Maxine. “We know help is just a few clicks away.”

Delivering an exceptional event – and looking ahead

With overwhelmingly positive feedback from attendees, the PCOA team is proud of what they delivered in 2024.

“PCOA24 was one of our strongest events yet,” Maxine said. “The conference, the speakers, the energy – it all came together beautifully, and EventsAir played a big role in that.”

As the industry continues to evolve, PCOA remains committed to delivering impactful, future-focused events, supported by a platform partner they know and trust.

About PCOA

PCOA is the premier organisation representing event management professionals across Australia and New Zealand.

PCOA offers a community specifically for event planners. Its objectives are to increase the standard of professionalism of its members and promote a better understanding of the roles, functions and contributions of professional conference organisers, event managers and other practitioners in the conference and event sector.