Professional Conference Organizer (PCO)

Before talking about PCO, you may have a big question mark around your head about the “C”.

What is the difference between a CONGRESS and a CONFERENCE? We invite the most reputed meeting association - ICCA, to answer! Please find the definition at ICCA FAQ.

Here are some key points for your quick review

CONGRESS

• Delegates: regular coming together on a representational basis of several hundreds of individuals
• Purpose: often convened to discuss a particular subject.
• Frequency: either multiannual (more likely international)or annual (rather national)
• Length: often last several days with several simultaneous sessions

CONFERENCE

• Delegates: participatory; not so representational
• Purpose: designed for discussion, fact-finding, problem solving and consultation; smaller in scale and more select in character; tend to facilitate the exchange of information
• Frequency: no special connotation as to frequency
• Length: not inherently limited in time, conferences are usually of limited duration with specific objectives

We would like to add one more C: CONVENTION, which is used interchangeable to Conference, but more “fun” gathering.

Now, you know what you are after and then, usually, an international-level or even national-level conference with 100 persons above will demand a PCO, us!  We are intermediaries working on behalf of buyers -- you! PCOs are known as independent, specialist meetings planners who work on a consultancy basis, being temporarily hired by associations and companies to organize a specific event or series of events.

Not only conference planning or executive does a PCO matter, but well connections to venue, facilitation, travel agent, or so suppliers would make a PCO more valuable to your events. This is important because the details of an event are far more than everyone can image but only a PCO with more good connections can assist you in these aspects in a more efficient and economic way. Furthermore, in our experience, choosing a PCO is like choosing a partner. The chosen PCO will do better and the association and company will satisfy if their backgrounds and tastes can match each other. In other words, you may find disappointed when a PCO experienced in fashion show cannot catch your event demand for scientists.

Reference

Conferencing & Business Events, Malcolm Auld Direct 2001.