Pohiri anticipation gives 'goosebumps'

For about 350 international visitors to Rotorua next week, a pohiri by a local school will be something most will never have experienced before.

On Monday the delegates from 21 different countries will be welcomed to Rotorua with a pohiri at Lynmore Primary School. They will be in town for the Asian Pacific Quality Organisation Conference which will be held in the city next week.

Abraham Fenn, president of the NZ Organisation for Quality Inc and vice-president of the conference, said for 90 per cent of them, the pohiri would be a first time experience.

"I get goosebumps in anticipation of what [the pohiri] will subject them to."

He said the conference happened yearly and went from country to country.

"The theme for the conference is quality, environment, health and safety. This will be the first major international platform where the gurus from those areas will be assembling to speak about their journey and to share their knowledge to set new standards.

"It gives us a chance to promote Rotorua in a big way. Most of the delegates are staying on a few more days after the conference to take in the look and the taste.

"A number of them have said they want to come back here with their families."

He said the Lynmore Primary pupils would carry the flags of each country the delegates were from on stage.

Events and Venues Rotorua key account manager Warren Harvey, who has been helping Mr Fenn put the event together, said the biggest thing for Rotorua was the extent of the countries that were coming.

"We don't always get 21 countries coming to Rotorua to experience our culture, this is huge for the economy of Rotorua."