Sudima Hotel Group has rolled out the Hidden Disability Sunflower Scheme across all hotels, spas and restaurants making it the first fully accessible hotel group in New Zealand.

The stars will be shining brightly on the culinary scene in Rotorua this winter with eateries across the region entering the Matariki Dish Challenge.

Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre has officially welcomed its first conference through the Centre’s doors, kick starting a full roster of more than 100 events scheduled for the remainder of the year.

With New Zealand’s borders now reopened, capital city Wellington is preparing for a busy roster of in-person events in 2022. 

Air New Zealand has approved in-principle a project to centralise its Auckland workforce at a refurbished airport campus in 2024. 

Offshore group travel is back in a big way and incentives won’t be far behind, says Kim Herd of Venture Travel.

Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre has expanded its sustainability credentials, receiving a Gold Sustainable Tourism Business Award from Qualmark.

New Zealand tourism operators are ready with open arms to welcome back Australian visitors tonight, Tuesday 12th April, says Tourism Industry Aotearoa Chief Executive Rebecca Ingram. 

New Zealand’s premier business events tradeshow, MEETINGS is heading to Ōtautahi Christchurch and event organisers from across the country can now register to visit for the day on 15 or 16 June. 

Second Nature Charitable Trust, owner and operator of Vodafone Events Centre and Vector Wero Whitewater Park, has been able to deliver a community good value of more than $725,000 despite a second year of lockdowns and disruptions brought about by COVID.

Organising a business event in Wellington could become even easier for event planners with two venues combining under one umbrella – Tākina Events.

A new host city, a brand new venue and a host of new exhibitors are set to be unveiled at Business Events Industry Aotearoa’s MEETINGS 2022 on 15 and 16 June in Ōtautahi Christchurch.

Central Otago has come out on top of the list of 31 regions recording growth in total visitor spend for 2021. The region recorded a 19.3% growth in spend compared to 2020 – with the next closest region being Clutha at 19.1% and is well ahead of the national average of 4%. Spend on retail was the most significant proportion of visitor spend in the region at 65%.

 “Although 2021 continually provided new challenges caused by the COVID pandemic to every corner of New Zealand, particularly with the ongoing limitations for travel and business, we should celebrate these results and be thankful that our community has benefitted from the commitment of New Zealanders to explore their own country” says Dylan Rushbrook, General Manager Tourism Central Otago.”

"Visitors have always been important to Central Otago’s economy, as in our small communities those employed in tourism are the same people who are volunteer fire fighters, school bus drivers, club volunteers, and so on, the roles that are the very fabric of our communities.”

Independent Visitor Insight Research undertaken in the latter half of 2021, reaffirmed that visitors’ expectations are exceeded when they visit Central Otago and that it has strong appeal for short breaks and holidays.  The research highlights that the success of the region is in its authentic experiences, people and environment.

Despite the positive results, there is obvious concern around the immediate impacts of the Omicron outbreak on our local operators, and the wider region.  The ongoing difficulties being faced by Central Otago’s primary gateways – Queenstown in particular, will create flow on effects that could stretch well into the future.

58% of hospitality owners have told a survey last week that they are preparing for insolvency within the next three months, and Hospitality NZ says the growing Omicron case numbers could affect the viability of even more businesses.

Today’s border reopening announcements and the 5 step plan are welcome but the Government must be prepared to remove self-isolation requirements as soon as health risks lessen, says Tourism Industry Aotearoa. 

TIA spokesperson Ann-Marie Johnson says the staged opening of the border announced by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is a positive step towards reconnecting friends and family, and the return of visitors on working holiday visas from March will be welcome news to many employers in tourism and other industries who are struggling to find staff. 

But the Government’s willingness to be flexible and remove self-isolation requirements ahead of schedule will be essential to the survival of the visitor economy. While these requirements are in place, New Zealand remains off the radar for international travellers.   

“We are pleased that Prime Minister Ardern stated the potential to move dates forward as we move through each reopening phase. The sooner we can signal intentions and timelines for reopening without the requirement for self-isolation, the sooner the industry can get its preparations underway,” says Ms Johnson.  

In its latest visitor insights research, strategy company Angus & Associates found that despite the emergence of Omicron in the community, the majority of Kiwis still support a reopening of the border now.  

“The need for self-isolation is questionable, especially if Omicron becomes endemic in the community as modelling suggests. With risks equalised between New Zealand and overseas, the rationale for keeping self-isolation rules in place no longer exists.” 

In a letter to Tourism Minister Stuart Nash earlier this week, TIA noted that quarantine-free travel should be possible within the second quarter of 2022, once the health concerns from the Omicron wave have abated.  

This would be a beacon of hope for the tourism industry, which otherwise faces another winter of difficult trading conditions.  

“The single biggest issue for restarting international tourism is to remove the self-isolation requirements. Requiring international visitors to spend the first seven days in isolation will mean very limited arrivals. Most tourism operators will have to survive through another long winter before they can expect potential visitors,” says Ms Johnson.  

“Airlines and cruise operators that are part of the global systems need long lead times for scheduling and selling their routes and capacity.” 

TIA says continued targeted Government support for businesses in the visitor economy is needed until the requirements are relaxed, to ensure business’ survival. Otherwise, the coming months will result in many more business closures and job losses.  

For the first time ever, Auckland’s Eden Park will host TRENZ Hui, New Zealand’s premier international tourism business event.

It’s exciting that one of Auckland’s biggest visitor drawcards will become the venue for working on the future of Aotearoa New Zealand’s international visitor market, Tourism Industry Aotearoa says.

TRENZ Hui will be held on 24-25 May 2022 (note these dates have changed from an earlier announcement about TRENZ 2022 to avoid a clash with the equivalent trade event in Australia).

“We are planning another event like the successful TRENZ Hui we held in Christchurch in May 2021, updating international market-ready New Zealand tourism operators on how they can prepare for the return of international visitors,” TIA Chief Executive Chris Roberts says.

“Unfortunately, due to the border situation in New Zealand this will be a seller-only event. International buyers will be unable to attend but will be able to connect with sellers at our TRENZ Connect online events.”

The format of TRENZ Hui 2022 means TIA, which manages the event for the Tourism Industry New Zealand Trust, was able to consider venues that had not been able to host TRENZ in the past.

Eden Park CEO Nick Sautner says: “Eden Park is globally recognised as one of New Zealand’s most iconic tourism attractions. With a 118-year history, the Park’s hallowed turf is on the bucket list for global sports enthusiasts, and walking into the changing rooms of rugby and cricket legends can be a surreal experience.

“We are delighted to be rolling out the red carpet for TRENZ Hui in 2022 and showcasing the stadium’s many tourism and cultural experiences. Our commitment to innovation has seen the team develop a vast portfolio of attractions including Staydium Glamping, the Sky Sport Rooftop Tour, Haka on the Park and our famous stadium tours. We look forward to the opportunity to connect and engage with our tourism industry whānau at TRENZ Hui 2022.”

Auckland Unlimited Director – Investment and Industry Pam Ford says: “We are very excited to welcome our industry whānau to Tāmaki Makaurau for this important tourism business event.

”While there’s no question the tourism sector has been hit hard by the pandemic – with everyone having to adjust and adapt to a completely new environment – this hui will be an opportunity for people to reconnect, network, do business while showcasing all that Aotearoa has to offer.”

Registrations for TRENZ Hui 2022 will open in March.

In 2023, TRENZ will move to Ōtautahi Christchurch on 9-11 May.

Meanwhile, the new TRENZ Connect digital platform, which was launched at the end of September, is getting strong support from both New Zealand tourism operators and international travel buyers. More than 230 New Zealand operators have already registered on the platform and over 110 buyer companies.

Planning is underway for the first virtual event on the platform in 2022.

“TRENZ Connect users are finding that the platform is a valuable way for them to connect, to prepare for the time when we can once again welcome international manuhiri,” Mr Roberts says.

Operators can sign up for TRENZ Connect at any time and will need to be registered in advance to take part in the virtual events.

TRENZ Connect is designed to be a ‘legacy platform’, keeping New Zealand tourism operators connected with international buyers throughout the year, and supporting future physical TRENZ events.

TRENZ Connect has been developed with funding support from the New Zealand Government’s Regional Events Fund.

The New Zealand Game Developers Association has collaborated with Wellington in a multi-year partnership to increase investment and grow the talent pool in the creative digital content sector.

Auckland has been picked as the host city for the Computer Applications and Quantitative Methods in Archaeology Conference in 2024.

Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland has been named the best meetings, incentive, conference and exhibition (MICE) destination in Oceania at the World MICE Awards 2021.

Fable Christchurch, formally Rendezvous Hotel Christchurch, has officially opened its doors, signaling a new era of 5-star luxury accommodation in the Garden City.

Two iconic brands have joined to form arguably the largest independent B2B Customer Engagement agency in Australia and New Zealand.

212F and Incremental Marketing have each been advancing the industry independently for over 25 years, wholeheartedly focused on B2B customer engagement, growth strategies and B2B programs that change channel behaviour. Both businesses have developed a Strategy first / Rewards second approach, and it is this shared vision that headlines the future direction of the joined company.  Ensuring that the focus of every incentive and loyalty design is outcome orientated, we match the best rewards and recognition to drive customer behaviour.

Understanding the dynamics of B2B has never been as important, as right now, and the toolkits that both brands bring to client partnerships with B2B businesses in Australia and New Zealand remain best in class.  Going forward, the combination of these toolkits, through services, expertise and value propositions will benefit not only existing clients but shift what is possible within all Australian and New Zealand B2B industries and segments. 

Whilst size isn’t everything… the local combined and complementary talent, resources, experience, and scale of the group allow for investment in new technologies and specialist skills that will result in even stronger partnerships with our customers.

212F Group Managing Director, Rob Morrow says;

“I have known Tony for nearly 20 years – in fact in the early 2000’s I was a client of Incremental Marketing, Tony helped me with my first trade loyalty program, so I know first-hand that we hold similar ideas and ideals.  I’m delighted to welcome Tony and his talented team to join the 212F group, I’m beyond excited about the next 25 years and what our combined teams can achieve!”

Incremental Managing Director, Tony Nay says;

“We have long been aware that 212F shares many of our core values, principally around the fact that growth and engagement for customers are the best way to secure and maintain long-term relationships. Even recently, where we found ourselves pitching against 212F, we had that client comment that although our concept offerings were different our philosophies and approach were remarkably similar. I am excited about the benefits and opportunities, for both our customers and dedicated team that the combined entity will deliver.”

Dunedin, New Zealand has won the right to host the prestigious 27th International Congress of History of Science and Technology in 2025.

RealNZ tourism CEO Stephen England-Hall has announced a bold vision for the tourism group under a new name, pledging to do ‘business for good’.

Air New Zealand has added flexibility to its domestic fare products and introduced two product name changes to improve clarity for customers.

Just minutes north of Hamilton city, Zealong Tea Estate has added a retreat facility ideal for residential corporate meetings and incentives.

A recent snapshot of buyer sentiment has given venues and other suppliers to the business events industry a recipe for success as New Zealand emerges out of Covid restrictions and lockdowns.

Food for 575 delegates from two cancelled conferences in Auckland and Nelson last week has been donated to those in need.

Business Events Wellington has published a new guide for business event planners.

New Zealand is embracing its role as a world leader in agri-food-tech with the launch of a new event, the 2035 Oceania Summit in Auckland.

New Zealand’s largest business events industry gathering, MEETINGS 2021 held in Auckland last month, has been hailed an outstanding success, securing a pipeline of work from domestic and Australian buyers.
 
Business Events Industry Aotearoa (BEIA) ran the 25th-anniversary MEETINGS in a year of continued COVID-19 disruption, hosting buyers from around New Zealand and Australia.

Entries into the 2021 NZ Events Association NZ Event Awards closed in June with an all-time record of 108 entries.

The latest figures released by the Business Events Data Programme* show the Waikato region secured 13% market share of all NZ business events being held in Q1 2021. With 196 business events held in the region during January-March 2021, this placed the Waikato region second in the country behind Wellington at 29% for the number of business events held.

By Stu Freeman

Conference and incentive organisers report that they are currently experiencing their busiest time in memory.

Explore Group has purchased Fullers Great Sights operation in the Bay of Islands as the first part of a wider expansion plan for the business including growth in Auckland and Australia. 

Just two months on from Eden Park’s first concert, New Zealand’s national stadium has been named the number one stadium in the world in Pollstar’s mid-year rankings. 

Entries are open for the New Zealand Tourism Awards, returning for 2021 to showcase and celebrate the tourism industry’s individual and business successes.   

Wellington was recently named as one of 21 Places of the Future in a report by Cognizant.

A taste of Marlborough, including a touch of sunshine to brighten Wellington’s first real wintry day of the year, swept across Cook Strait for a Business Events Showcase Marlborough, at the Michael Fowler Centre on May 12.

It’s a cautious start but trans-Tasman conferences are showing signs of life, at least in terms of enquiries from Australia and website activity, according to delegates at the TRENZ Hui on May 5 and 6 in Christchurch.

An event to prepare the New Zealand tourism industry for the return of international visitors has reached capacity with more than 700 tourism operators registered to attend.  

Christchurch Town Hall was host venue for over 200 business event industry professionals Who gathered on 25 March for ChristchurchNZ Convention Bureau’s inaugural MEET CHRISTCHURCH showcase.

Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre is launching a ‘Taste of Te Pae’ pop-up this month to showcase the venue to prospective clients ahead of the Centre’s proposed opening later this year.

Wellington’s business events industry has reasons to be optimistic as it looks ahead to the next year and beyond.

Japan Convention Bureau, a division within the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) recognises best practice in incentive travel to Japan through the “JAPAN Best Incentive Travel Awards“.

The Women You Can Bank On event is returning for its 5th year and is being held on Thursday 4th March 2021. The theme for 2021 is “Thriving Through Change”.

Auckland has been named best meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) destination in Oceania at the inaugural World MICE Awards 2020.

Hokianga new website to help business event planners who are looking for something new.