Auckland wins 7 Experiences Summit

Hundreds of academics and professionals are expected to converge on Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, New Zealand, 28 November –1 December for the fourth annual 7 Experiences Summit. The summit focuses on sustainable and transformative experience design. The event was supported by the Auckland Convention Bureau (ACB) and Tourism New Zealand’s Business Events team. Hosted by Auckland University of Technology’s (AUT) School of Hospitality and Tourism, this is the first time the event will be held in Aotearoa New Zealand. It is expected to bring together 200 delegates and deliver an estimated economic benefit of NZ$440,000 (US$505,881) to Auckland. Summit co-chair and AUT senior lecturer, Dr Sandra Goh (pictured), says the international conference will bring experience experts together – researchers and professionals in experience design from all sectors including creative industries, hospitality, tourism and information technology. “There are many people who design experiences that might not consider themselves ‘experience designers’, from event producers to artists, engineers, brand managers, computer scientists, architects, educators and many more,” says Dr Goh. “This summit gives us all the chance to collaborate on new ideas about what transformational or extraordinary experience is, and what it should be for individuals and organisations recovering from the effects of the pandemic.” Dr Goh says that since Covid, consumer expectations have changed with experience providers now facing a different type of competition. “To compete, we need to value not only experiences that we could give people, but we also need to consider how those experiences could help people with their desire to be transformed.” Head of the ACB, Ken Pereira, says: “This is an exceptional win for Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland. Not only can we host the discussion on how to make tourism experiences more transformative and sustainable in the future, but we can also showcase the incredible experiences here that are leading the way.” Attendees will also get to experience seven of Auckland and New Zealand’s exceptional social experiences: a whale and dolphin safari on the Hauraki Gulf; a tour of special effects studio Wētā Workshop Unleashed, a trip to the interactive All Blacks Experience, a Māori cultural experience at a local marae, an Auckland Harbour Bridge climb, taste-testing New Zealand’s world-famous wine, plus a trip to the Hobbiton Movie set in neighbouring Waikato. As well as workshopping ideas and releasing new research, the summit will have a Mini Experience Fair to showcase experiential products and services. The summit was held in Utah, USA, in 2022.