Rotorua is buzzing with activity as it hosts MEETINGS 2024, New Zealand’s largest business events trade show, drawing over 1,000 professionals from around the world.
This event marks a significant step in Tourism New Zealand’s strategy to grow international tourism by $5 billion over the next four years, with 70 per cent of that growth expected from off-peak visitors.
General Manager Bjoern Spreitzer emphasised the vital role of business events in this plan, highlighting that 83 per cent of international delegate arrivals in 2023 occurred during the off-peak season, significantly contributing to the sector’s $403 million value and higher per-day visitor spending.
“Business events will play an important role in growing off-peak visitation,” Bjoern Spreitzer said.
“Our sector’s attendees spend $426 per day on average, compared to $304 by holidaymakers. Targeting larger, high-impact conferences that support the country’s growth sectors will be crucial for this expansion.”
Inaugural National Business Events Awards Announced
Adding to the excitement, New Zealand will celebrate its first National Business Events Awards in 2025. Announced during MEETINGS 2024, this bi-annual event will recognize excellence and innovation within the industry.
BEIA Chief Executive Lisa Hopkins and industry leaders like Megan Crum underscored the awards’ alignment with the sector’s strategic direction, aiming to elevate the business events industry and recognize its significant contributions and diverse impact.
“This has been an industry-wide initiative,” Lisa Hopkins said.
“The time is right, with our 10-year strategic direction, Pīata Mai, to celebrate the outstanding achievements in the industry and to elevate the business events sector. These awards will help highlight the sector’s contribution and value.”
Vocational Education Partnership to Strengthen Industry Resilience
A key focus of the strategic direction is enhancing vocational education to create a resilient business events sector. BEIA has partnered with Ringa Hora to develop industry-specific qualifications and micro-credentials, ensuring that educational needs are met and fostering career growth. This initiative aligns with Pīata Mai’s vision of attracting and retaining talent within the sector.
“Collaboration is at the heart of this development,” Lisa Hopkins explained.
“By working with Ringa Hora, we aim to create fit-for-purpose qualifications that blend experiential learning with practical application, addressing the industry’s evolving needs.”
Ringa Hora’s involvement in the Workforce Steering Group will help shape the educational framework, providing insights and expertise to ensure qualifications meet industry standards. Mel Harrington, General Manager of Partnership & Engagement for Ringa Hora, emphasized the importance of this collaboration in supporting the business events industry’s strategic goals to 2035.
New Taonga Blessing and Symbolic Gesture at MEETINGS
In a momentous cultural exchange, Business Events Industry Aotearoa (BEIA) was gifted a Tauihu carving at the New Zealand Māori Arts and Crafts Institute. This taonga symbolizes the merging of international ideas and the unity of the business events community. Lisa Hopkins, BEIA Chief Executive, expressed her gratitude and the significance of this gesture.
“We feel extremely privileged to receive this beautiful piece,” Hopkins said. “It represents the connection and respect between our international visitors and the local Māori culture.”
