The 40 industry leaders and academics responsible for winning $48.7m worth of international conference bids for New Zealand were celebrated at the New Zealand Business Events Awards 2024. The 31 international conferences won through Tourism New Zealand’s Conference Assistance Programme are expected to attract more than 19,500 delegates in a major boost for New Zealand’s economy.
Tourism New Zealand held the ceremony at Mantells Tāmaki Drive in Auckland. René de Monchy, Tourism New Zealand chief executive, said: “We’ve won conferences that will benefit our early childhood educators, our school principals, the dairy sector, researchers in robotics and artificial intelligence.
“Through these events we’ll hold important conversations at a global level about the treatment of cancer in indigenous communities, the protection of native plant species, and the application of remote-sensing technologies to benefit society.”
Tourism New Zealand has a four-year strategy in place to grow international tourism by $5bn. 70% of that amount is designated for visitors in the off-peak – a period that is highly popular for business events. Last year, 83% of international delegates arrived between March and November, compared to 62% of holidaymakers.
For more information, visit https://businessevents.newzealand.com/funding-and-support/
