Event News

Japanese Day in Hokianga

Wednesday, 05 October 2011 13:43

Rugby fever touched Northland recently when the Copthorne Hotel and Resort Hokianga played host to local Kaumatua as they welcomed the Japanese rugby team to the region.
Manager, Kyle Brown said it was a great day and everyone was excited to see real life Rugby players up close, including coach John Kirwan. 'After signing autographs and dining with local dignitaries at the hotel, the rugby team travelled with Footprints Waipoua to Tane Mahuta, the ancient Kauri tree in the Waipoua Forest,' says Brown.


The Japanese rugby team are welcomed by local Kaumatua	Rugby legend and coach of the Japanese rugby team, John Kirwan speaks on behalf of his team.	The visitors flag flew on the nearby wharf

Wellington expo draws crowds

Wednesday, 13 July 2011 13:16

Despite the move to a winter date this year, the Wellington Conferences and Events Expo proved as popular as ever with local corporates, association executives, government departments and professional conference organisers who enjoyed the a high standard of exhibit from participating companies. Exhibition manager Melissa Cathcart says the pre-registrations of 640 was on par with previous years and 2011 looked to be on track for 800 visitors through the door.

Pictured left is the new innovation of Show Gizmo which allowed buyers and sellers to communicate from barcode direct to smart phone or ipad allowing instant access of contact details and relevant company information. Right: Matthias Schulz, InterContinental Hotel Wellington enjoys an instant exchange of information with Janet Matheson, Conferences & Events

Pictured right is Julie Richardson NZ Defence Force with Michelle Spring, Sauceit Promotional Products


James Cook Hotel Grand Chancellor was voted 'Best Stand' by industry judges at the Wellingotn expo. Tory Yee, James Cook Grand Chancellor (right) with Adrienne Martin, Ministry for the Environment who enjoyed a cupcake on the festival themed stand	Charlotte Wood, Charlotte Wood Events (left) on her stand with Tonya Jones, IPENZ	Diana Clark, Department of Internal Affairs is tempted by Hayden Grey's sweet offering at Amora Hotel's stand

St James was promoting its show 'Soap' at the expo - Danielle Heathe, IPENZ with LeRoi Kippen and Leonie Coutts Positively Wellington Venues	Angela Scott, Copthorne Hotel and Resort Solway Park (centre) with Ann McIntosh (left) and Christine O'Connor, both ANZ Private Banking	Jo Muggeridge (left) and Susan Norman (right) both Centre Port with Red Pebble Creative's Sarah Carran, one her simply blossoming stand

Kim Whiteman, INFINZ (centre) caught up with Te Papa's Elena Ford and Jacques Knudson	Eleanor Currier, NZ Institute of Chartered Accountants (left) and Dora Denk, CQ Hotels	Nicola Shaw, The Treasure Hunt Co demonstrates the art of ice carving to Eleanor Dorn and Catherine Smith, both Trade Me Ltd and Cath Lochead, Meetings on the Terrace

Jenny Housley, Human Synergistics (centre) caught up with Museum Art Hotel's Aleisha Penny and Claire Taylor	Candice Meredith, Orbit Travel (centre) with Lisa Schafer and Louise Allan, both Scenic Hotel Group / Marlborough Convention Centre	Marie Hendren, Nelson Convention Bureau with Sally Connell, Stretton Publishing

From left: Colin Price, Ministry of Social Development; Vicki Cooksley, Metro; Robert Baldock, Westside Studios and Jamie Collings, Metro

MEETINGS 2011

Tuesday, 21 June 2011 12:41

The first official day of MEETINGS got off with an inspirational start with hosted buyers enjoying breakfast while hearing from round-the-world solo yachtsman Tony Mowbray, renowned Kiwi scientist and philanthropist Ray Avery and award-winning journalist Mike McRoberts.


Enjoying the Out of the Blue formal dinner are Peter McDougall, Go Vita Distributors in Australia and Lee Picken, Forumpoint2	After a full day of appointments with exhibitors, hosted buyers were treated to a lavish 'Out of the Blue' formal dinner at the Blue Baths sponsored by Rotorua Convention Bureau, Event Impressions and the Blue Baths and supported by Rotorua exhibitors.	Guests were greeting by musicians as they arrived at The Blue Baths

Event Impressions themed the 'Out of the Blue' event at The Blue Baths	Musicians entertained guests from a stage set up over the pool at The Blue Baths	At the Meeting Newz - ProMag Publishing stand are Dean Bradley, Convention Management NZ Ltd, Tess Mason, ProMag Publishing; Annette McGrevy, Meeting Newz; Lu Budden, Convention Management NZ

Diane Mitchell, of Industry Management Systems Ltd enjoys a tiramisu gelato courtesy of Herwig Lanzerstorfer, Restaurant Associates at the Wellington stand at MEETINGS 2011 in Rotorua.	Auckland hosted buyers arrive in Rotorua - Diane Mitchell, Industry management Systems Ltd, Carla Childs, Aon New Zealand, Danielle Diedericks, Fidelity Life	The Rotorua welcoming party was out when hosted buyers arrived at the airport on June 21 - (from left) Kathy Nicholls, Tracey Curry, Ailini McDonald, Helen van Beek, Jenny Tukiwaho Stokes - all from Rotorua Convention Bureau

Juiced up: Anyone feeling thirsty at MEETINGS 2011 could head to the Events & Venues stand, where there was a selection of juices on offer. Jenny Patterson says the stand was offering a healthy option for anyone who had consumed enough caffeine for the day. Juices on offer include tomato, cranberry, orange and grapefruit, and ginger and lemon. Noelani Hudson (left) and Jenny Patterson of Events & Venues Rotorua	Building blocks for Christchurch: Delegates and exhibitors alike are being invited to provide ideas on what the Christchurch of the future could look like. The city held a ‘share an idea’ expo recently, when the community gave ideas and feedback on how to rebuild Christchurch as a new, exciting city. Now it is the conference industry’s turn. ‘This is about conventions, hotels and what people would do if they were able to start afresh,’ says Leonie Ashford of Christchurch and Canterbury Convention Bureau. People visiting the CCCB stand will be invited to demonstrate their ‘building’ skills using Lego blocks and also to write an idea on a post it note and stick it on the back wall. ‘We’re not here with opening dates or anything like that. We are here saying that Christchurch will be back and we value the feedback and thoughts of this industry.’ Left: Give us your ideas… Leonie Ashford of Christchurch and Canterbury Convention Bureau and Nicola Ransome of Displayworks	Welcome to MEETINGS: Rotorua and the Energy Events Centre were ready to welcome 200 hosted buyers, 100+ day buyers and 154 exhibiting companies to MEETINGS 2011, New Zealand's annual incentives showcase, in Rotorua on June 23 and 24. At the registration desk for MEETINGS 2011 are (from left) Glenn Ormsby, Bay of Plenty Convention Bureau; Trish Kennedy, Conventions and Incentives New Zealand (CINZ), Brett Jeffery, Events & Venues Rotorua; Paulene Brommer, CINZ

Out and about at TRENZ

Monday, 30 May 2011 08:13

Queenstown operators did themselves proud when they they hosted international buyers, media and Kiwi exhibitors to a huge range of local activities during TRENZ. On Tuesday afternoon, within 25 minutes, 40 local companies moved 572 people from the Event Centre to their activity, supplying a magnificent packed lunch by catering company Flying Trestles, en route. The clockwork logistics were even more impressive given high winds caused the cancellation of several flight options to Milford Sound. Instead participants were helicoptered for an afternoon's hospitality and farm-style entertainment at Walter Peak Station - there were few if any complaints. As well, international and domestic media delegates were treated to a further two afternoons of 'mini-famils' - experiencing such diverse delights as boutique wineries with Appellation Central Wine Tours, flying through the trees with ZipTrek Ecotours, jet boating and rather more genteel experiences such as the new Spa at the Hilton Queenstown.


Queenstown College Resort students helped with the smooth logistcal flow of TRENZ famil participants outside the Queenstown Events Centre.	Catching up at TRENZ from left, Russell Alexander, Hobbiton Movie Set & Farm Tours; Charlie Ives, RTONZ; Kiri Goulter, Hamilton and Waikato Regional Tourism; David Perks, Positively Wellington Tourism	Southern Lakes bosses toast a successful TRENZ with a Gibbston Valley pinot noir at an industry function aboard the Earnslaw, from left Tony Everitt ceo Destination Queenstown and Dave Hawkey, Southern Lakes Marketing Alliance chairman and Real Journeys ceo.

Tourism operators farewell TIA's Rhondda Harris, executive assistant to the chief executive, who's retiring after attending an impressive 13 TRENZ.events. From left Jo Doherty, Te Urewera Treks; Dawn Muir, Carter Observatory; Rhondda Harris, TIANZ; Tracey Harris, Carter Observatory	Hoteliers say hi at the TRENZ farewell, from left Julie Wilcock, West Plaza Wellington; Kathy Guy, Bayview Chateau Tongariro / Wairakei Resorts; Eileen Crowley, Bay Plaza Wellington	Local hosts at the Southern Lakes industry welcome onboard the TSS Earnslaw, from left Ashling Swirtz, Gibbston Valley Wines; Sharon Gray, Queenstown Rafting and Kiwi Discovery.