A trio of new convention centres, a rich indigenous heritage to draw upon and stunning natural beauty all offer a rich palette for any conference organiser to work with and make their event a success in New Zealand. In collaboration with Tourism New Zealand, we set the exciting scene for future event possibilities.
If you seek it’s here to find… New Zealand has entered a new era of opportunity for planners with a trio of new convention centres – Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre, Tākina Wellington Convention & Exhibition Centre and the New Zealand International Convention Centre (NZICC) opening in 2025 in Auckland – set to elevate New Zealand to the next tier of conference capability. Now firmly focused on becoming a leading conference destination for events in the 500 to 4,000 delegate space, Tourism New Zealand (TNZ) has also set its sights on growing its market share of association conference business in Australasia, the Asia Pacific region and beyond.
TNZ global manager Business Events Penelope Ryan says: “The business events sector was worth NZ$403m to New Zealand in 2023 and we’re on track to track to achieve 90 international conference bids worth more than NZ$140m in FY25, our most ambitious target to date.”
Tap into Kiwi ingenuity and Te ao Māori
New Zealand can claim to be a destination for everyone, but the country is also capitalising on its reputation for innovation to target conferences where it can offer outcomes that extend far beyond the event, enabling new thinking, discussion and experiences. ‘Kiwi ingenuity’ has led to world-leading advances in agriculture, high-value food and wine, medical and health sciences, geosciences and technology across multiple sectors from screen to space – sectors which are all strong on the conferencing front.
And in contrast to a world of meeting ‘sameness’, Te ao Māori (the Māori world view) is increasingly being embedded in conferences held in New Zealand, providing unique and innovative content, knowledge and values. While incorporating a pōwhiri (traditional Māori welcome) cultural performance or haka into the event programme continues to be a memorable experience for international delegates, event organisers are taking the opportunity to build deeper and more authentic connections too.
For example, incorporating Māori speakers and mātauranga Māori (Māori knowledge) provides an opportunity to unlock unique perspectives and improve delegate outcomes. And indigenous thinking is in focus for the World Indigenous Peoples’ Conference on Education (WIPCE) taking place in Auckland in 2025, but also for conferences ranging from healthcare to sustainability, including the UN Environment Programme’s 8th International Adaptation Futures Conference taking place in Christchurch in 2025.
A growing incentive market for those seeking an authentic and meaningful reward programme has been aided by increasing air capacity out of North America and China. Groups are pursuing immersive programmes in New Zealand’s beautiful natural landscapes, authentic engagement with its indigenous Māori culture, and enjoying plenty of opportunities to sample sustainably produced world-class food and wine.
Unique locations
And unique locations abound. Rotorua in the North Island’s Bay of Plenty is a well-loved incentive and pre- and post-destination for its immersive experiences in Māori culture and unique geothermal and forest landscapes. It is winning conferences in these areas too: this year it hosted ForestSat 2024, a conference promoting the application of spatial technologies for forest observation and analysis hosted by the city’s world-leading forestry research institute, Scion.
In 2026, Rotorua will host the 2026 World Indigenous Cancer Conference. This will be hosted by Hei Āhuru Mōwai, a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to improving cancer prevention, treatment and outcomes for Māori.
Meanwhile, Dunedin, South Island’s second largest city, is home to New Zealand’s oldest university, the University of Otago, and as the ‘wildlife capital’ of New Zealand it is winning events in specialist areas including science, technology and education. These include the International Congress of History of Science and Technology in 2025 and the International Deer Biology Congress in 2026.
AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND – DECEMBER 07: on December 7, 2014 in Auckland, New Zealand. (Photo by Michael Bradley/Getty Images)Sustainability and special connection to the land
Sustainability has become a crucial aspect of events, another reason why planners are putting the nation high on their list. In New Zealand, they feel a special connection to the land and recognise a duty of care to look after it for future generations.
New Zealand offers a range of solutions to help event organisers deliver events that reduce impact on the environment and leave a positive impact on society. The trio of major new conference venues mentioned earlier have been developed with sustainability at the forefront. Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre is world-leading as the first net carbon zero convention centre.
Meanwhile, the popular incentive destination of Queenstown has a vision for regenerative tourism by 2030, including the ambitious goal of achieving a carbon zero visitor economy. Queenstown tourism operators and event suppliers are evolving their experiences in innovative ways, with initiatives ranging from restaurants growing their own fresh produce onsite, to businesses focused on decarbonisation through renewable energy solutions such as hydrogen, wind and solar.
All elements of your trip within New Zealand can be managed for minimal impact. Qualmark, New Zealand tourism’s quality assurance programme, has had its Sustainable Tourism Business Criteria recognised by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC). This means Qualmark-accredited accommodation, venues, transport options and tourism operators across New Zealand all meet global standards of sustainability across five key pillars: environment, people and culture, social and health, business systems and safety and wellness.
Toitū Envirocare (toitū means to be undisturbed, untouched) sets the standard for New Zealand’s carbon certification programmes. On an operations front, conference organisers can use more than 900 venues, suppliers and organisations in New Zealand that are certified under its carbon reduction programmes. Alternatively, they can choose to partner with Toitū Envirocare to reduce carbon emissions during the organisation of their specific business event.
The Toitū net carbonzero event programme is aligned with relevant sections of world standard ISO 14064-1 using lifecycle principles and carbon measurement leading practice. Through rigorous measurement tools and impartial third-party validation, it allows event organisers to understand their event’s environmental impact and take decisive, confident action to mitigate carbon emissions.
Check out New Zealand organisations such as ‘Trees That Count’ which provide other accessible options for event organisers and delegates to contribute to native reforestation and biodiversity.
While content is key, New Zealand’s ability to bring events to life beyond the four walls of the conference holds huge appeal for delegates. The proximity of mountains, geothermal pools, vineyards, glaciers, fjords, lakes and beaches to New Zealand’s cosmopolitan cities provides endless options for relaxation or exhilaration outside the standard agenda
