NZICC made for the event NZICC general manager Prue Daly says NZICC will give New Zealand event organisers the chance to scale up events that may have been limited by the venue in the past. Speaking at Eventing the Future, she said NZICC will be the largest and most versatile conference, exhibition and entertainment space in New Zealand. It will offer 32,500sqm of gross floor area, with 33 meetings spaces available at any one time. "We've found New Zealand event organisers are really excited about the chance to develop and expand their events,” she says. “When we open, the convention centre means event planners will no longer have to plan their event based on the venue – NZICC's offering, all our different spaces and configurations, not to mention our capacity, can be scaled to suit the requirements of any event. The space can be made for the event, rather than the other way around." Daly says around 80% of events at the NZICC are expected to be domestic. Sustainable Events Hub launched at ETF Born out of the industry-wide need to work together towards a more sustainable events sector, NZEA launched Sustainable Events New Zealand at the Eventing the Future Conference. Although currently led and launched by NZEA, the content has been curated by an industry-wide working group and will be owned by the industry going forward. The hub looks to drive positive change in the events industry by highlighting sustainable practices and connecting event professionals with the resources needed to make events more sustainable. NZEA membership fee Increase The NZEA Board has made the tough decision to increase membership fees, effective 1 September 2024. The fee increase is a NZ EA - ETF] reflection of the economic climate and the fact that the association needs to move away from reliance on the ETF conference and awards events to supplement operational expenses – a situation brought about by a desire to keep membership fees low through the Covid years. MBIE launches new Major Events Strategy The Government has released a new Major Events Strategy to ensure future government investments in major events generate significant immediate and long-term benefits for New Zealand. The strategy puts greater emphasis on securing major events that deliver strong economic benefits for New Zealand, but it retains a focus on ensuring the vast social, cultural and environmental benefits major events can deliver are realised. And the awards go to… Fly Palmy Arena set the stage for a glittering celebration for the NZEA NZ Event Awards 2024, which took place following the Eventing the Future conference. The evening honoured the very best of the events industry, with 69 finalists across 17 categories. This year's awards celebrated the innovation, creativity, and resilience of New Zealand's event industry. Some major winners included Karli Dungey - Dunedin Venues, for Best Emerging Event Professional, while Chris Simpson was recognised with the Outstanding Contribution to the Industry award. Karena Finnie from ChristchurchNZ was named Best Established Event Professional for 2024. The winner of New Zealand's Favourite Event 2024 went to Warbirds Over Wanaka International Airshow 2024. Waitangi Day 2024 Porirua City took home the award for Best Arts, Cultural or Heritage Event, while the Takapuna Winter Lights event won Best Community or Not-for-Profit Event with over 3,000 participants. The combination of challenging economic times and a government that has a focus on austerity is concerning for the events industry, according to NZEA chair Loren Aberhart. Speaking at the recent Eventing the Future Conference, she says this industry relies on investment from the public sector, “while also needing an economy where consumers have enough discretionary income to spend on the experiences we provide.” The recent call by the Taxpayers Union calling Auckland Council and Central Government's funding for the World Dance Crew Championship a “wasteful investment” misses the point, she says. “The previous Labour Government invested over $50 million into events to restimulate our economy post-Covid. And we saw the way that it ignited domestic travel, consumer spending and confidence. “The current government's minimal investment in events is woeful to say the least. And it will leave a major and mega event hole in our pipeline for future years to come that we will all notice if this is not addressed.” Aberhart says Prime Minister Christopher Luxon calling convention centres ‘shiny white elephants’ was also not particularly helpful. “Although venues can be challenging investments to justify, we must continue to advocate for the wider benefits of the events sector that go beyond economics,” she says. “They drive a thriving retail, hospitality and accommodation sector and deliver amenities to our residents. They stimulate conversation, drive art and culture, inspire people into sport and adventure.” The Best Food, Beverage or Lifestyle Event category went to Taste Hastings, and Best Music Event went to Electric Avenue. Best Major or Mega Event went to FIFA Women's World Cup 2024. The Best Venue award was won by Wellington Regional Stadium for the FIFA Women's World Cup. LACKOF INVESTMENT IN EVENTS RISKS LONGTERM REPERCUSSIONS Networking at ETF2024 meeting newz [september october] 2024 [25]
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