With Meetings NZ wrapping up in Wellington, New Zealand, Tourism New Zealand is targeting a record $135m worth of international conferences that will support sector and country recovery over the coming years.
Tourism New Zealand chief executive René de Monchy says the business events industry globally is now in full recovery mode and there are good opportunities to attract high-quality events to our shores that will benefit our economy, society, culture, and environment.
The economic value of business events in New Zealand was estimated at $1.48 billion in the year ending June 2019, the most recent year there is full data for before New Zealand’s border closed. The number of conference bids has grown consistently year on year from seven in 2012 to 89 in 2019 before the global COVID pandemic led to a drop.
The financial year ending 2023 business events results exceeded the target of $105m, reaching an actual figure of $120m from a bid of 84 conferences and 60 incentives. Tourism New Zealand aims to bid for 90 international conferences in the financial year ending 2024.
Image credit: Smoke Photography Ltd.
“Whether it’s conferences that aim to improve equity for women and girls in sport or will grow New Zealand’s sustainable agri-food-tech sector, business events contribute to our country in many ways, both tangible and intangible,” René de Monchy said.
“In FY24 Tourism New Zealand will work hard to support New Zealand’s business events sector to attract business that will also grow knowledge and collaboration across many of society’s important subjects and industries. This target is reflective of the recovery of the business events sector and our aspiration for success in this market, which is New Zealand’s fourth most valuable,” René de Monchy added.
Solidifying New Zealand’s status as a world-class conference destination, the country has two brand new purpose-built convention centres, Te Pae Christchurch, which opened in 2022 and Takina Wellington which opened in May 2023. A new facility in Auckland, NZICC Auckland, will be opening in 2025.
Further boosting the opportunity for business events in New Zealand, BEIA announced the launch of the first Business Events Week for New Zealand. Aotearoa New Zealand’s business events sector is set to celebrate and collaborate this September during the week-long forum focusing on future growth. The event, which will be spearheaded by BEIA and supported by Tourism New Zealand Business Events, will run from 18 to 22 September 2023 in Marlborough before moving on to Wellington for a policy forum, and Auckland for the Tourism New Zealand Business Events National Awards, and workshop events.
BEIA Chief Executive, Lisa Hopkins says for the first time the industry’s two-day annual conference will be integrated into an expanded event looking at opportunities for this high-value sector. Pre-COVID, Business Events was an industry worth $1.48bn to New Zealand’s economy, supporting 8,200 jobs. Now, as the industry recovers strongly, Tourism New Zealand’s Business Events team will target its highest-ever number of international conference bids in the 2024 financial year.
For more information on holding a business event in New Zealand, visit businessevents.newzealand.com
