Alana Bicknell, Sales Manager – International at the New Zealand International Convention Centre (NZICC) has been awarded a scholarship from Tourism New Zealand to participate in the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) ICCASkills program.
Alana was one of seven successful Kiwis to be accepted into the competitive programme, and one of four at the executive level certification. ICCASkills delivers the only globally recognised certification for suppliers in every sector of the meetings industry.
Alana has recently begun the ICCASkills programme, finding it to be engaging, interactive, and great practical professional development, she says, “I love that is has been designed for our industry, by our industry.
“I’m connecting and learning from professionals from all around the world, and I hope to share my learnings with my colleagues and partners so that we can collectively be more successful in securing new business for New Zealand”.
Upon completion of the ICCASkills programme, Alana will graduate as a Certified International Convention Executive (CICE), a certification tailored to higher-level executives and management with a focus on new strategies and business models.
Tourism New Zealand’s General Manager NZ & Business Events, Bjoern Spreitzer said it was great to see such a high standard of applicants securing scholarships for the programme. “It’s a privilege to support the development of business events professionals in New Zealand and we are thrilled to be partnering with ICCA to offer a truly global perspective to our growing sector.”
Alana is responsible for generating and securing new international business event opportunities for NZICC and Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland and will continue her role at the NZICC while completing her certification.
ENDS
More Information:
International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA): https://www.iccaworld.org/
ICCASkills Program: https://www.iccaskills.org/
Tourism New Zealand Business Events: https://businessevents.newzealand.com/
Alana Bicknell: Alana rejoined the NZICC team in September 2022 as Sales Manager – International, after spending the last 2 years at MBIE as a Programme Director. Alana has worked in the hospitality and business events field for over 15 years, with key roles at the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa and Venues Wellington. In her role, Alana is responsible for generating and securing new international business event opportunities for Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland and works closely with NZICC's key partners Tourism New Zealand and Auckland Convention Bureau. Connect directly with Alana below.
