While the picture perfect images of New Zealand with rainforests, long beaches and wide, open spaces, do everything to entice delegates to the country, without the much needed facilities the country’s conference industry is up its many creeks without a paddle. So when the news came that not just one but three convention centre plans were in the works, raising capacity to 6,000 delegates by 2019, there was much cause for cautious celebration.
“There has been significant recent investment in the industry; both in terms of new infrastructure and also in the promotion of New Zealand as an international business events destination,” the International Business Events Manager at Tourism New Zealand (TNZ), Bjoern Spreitzer, tells CMW. “We were recently given an additional NZ$34m (US$27m) over four years to enhance our activity.”
Casino operator SkyCity, which already operates a convention centre, has committed to build a 3,500-delegate New Zealand International Convention Centre in Auckland. Slated to open late 2017, it will be located within walking distance of 4,700 bedrooms.
Research shows the centre could attract 35 conferences a year, 33,000 international delegates, pump $85.4m into the economy and create 800 jobs. Four hotel developments are planned in the next three years around the centre.
“It is desperately needed and long overdue,” says Conventions and Incentives New Zealand (CINZ) Chief Executive Alan Trotter. “It will give us the ability to tap into markets we’ve been shut out of in the past as we simply haven’t had venues big enough to cater to their needs.’’
Spreitzer says plans are also underway for similar facilities to be constructed in Christchurch and Queenstown.
Wellington’s waterfront venue, Shed 6, was opened by Prime Minister John Key on 21 August. It has been designed to work in a number of configurations: a single 740sqm space, four flat floor spaces or a theatre layout using its retractable seating system.
In addition to this space, the old Plimmers Ark Gallery that links Shed 6 to the TSB Bank Arena has been rebuilt as an arcade suitable as a registration and cocktail area or for breakouts.
Transitional Christchurch
After nearly two years of planning and construction, following a 6.3 magnitude earthquake in the city, Christchurch’s Transitional ‘cardboard’ Cathedral has opened its doors to the public. It is hoped it will be a draw-card for visitors and a unique venue for event organisers.
The building is made up of 98 cardboard tubes, each weighing up to 120kg. It can seat up to 700 people and has been built to last for up to 50 years.
Christchurch and Canterbury Tourism Chief Executive, Tim Hunter, says that while the cathedral has been primarily built as a place of worship, it can also be used as a venue for concerts and special events. It has already been booked for several conference dinners.
Among the other developments in the city include Accor’s Novotel Christchurch Cathedral Square, which added 154 bedrooms to the city as well as meeting facilities. The Novotel was just one year old when the earthquake struck.
The new Christchurch Convention Centre Precinct project is to include a 2,000-seat convention centre, connected retail and commercial operations, and a five-star hotel set to open in March 2017.
Christchurch Airport CEO, Jim Boult, says the commitment to the centre is a positive step. “Re-establishing convention facilities will attract thousands of visitors to the city,” he says.
On the rise
Attracting 55,000 international delegates annually from mainly Australia, the US, China and the UK, the market share for delegate days in the country is Auckland (36%) followed by Wellington (18%), Rotorua (9%) and Hamilton (8%).
International delegates spend on average 7.5 days in New Zealand.
“We are taking a sector focus, targeting those associations and corporations representing the sectors where New Zealand holds international expertise: marine, aviation, agribusiness, health science, high value foods and earth science,” says Spreitzer.
The marketing of New Zealand as a business events destination will be “significantly enhanced” by a new MoU between the TNZ and CINZ, says Spreitzer. TNZ will invest $200,000 in CINZ’s marketing activities to enable greater reach and effectiveness of the work, and ensure all potential opportunities are developed.
Recent event wins for the country include the International Association for Suicide Prevention Asia Pacific Congress 2014, which is worth $1.9m. It will attract up to 750 delegates from over 50 countries and will be held in Auckland.
Other wins include the 88th Annual Conference World Association of Detectives Inc 2014 and the Pacific Asia Indigenous Tourism Conference 2014.
Manaakitanga
The indigenous population, the Maori, have a concept of hospitality, Manaakitanga, which runs throughout the two islands. “Primarily it is our people and the focus on targeting specific industry sectors which attracts events to the country,” says Spreitzer.
Around three-quarters of the New Zealand population lives in the North Island, which is where the bigger centres are. The North Island holds unique MICE locations like Rotorua, which is famous for its geothermal activity, Australasia’s most visited museum in Wellington, the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, and Auckland’s Skycity Convention Centre, which can host up to 2,000 delegates.
Hamilton is home to Claudelands, a 6,000-capacity arena with a conference centre and 10,000sqm of indoor and outdoor exhibition space.
The South Island offers several event venues including the Air Force Museum, International Antarctic Centre or CBS Arena in Christchurch, while venues in Queenstown offer an unrivalled location for events with the city on the edges of Lake Whakatipu. In Dunedin, there’s Dunedin Public Art Gallery or the Otago Museum.
“New Zealand delivers a business events experience that goes beyond the usual meeting,” Spreitzer adds.
This was first published in issue 73 of CMW. Any comments? Email cmw@mashmedia.net
