Tourism New Zealand launches destination marketing initiative for business events and incentive travel

Tourism New Zealand has recently announced ‘100% Pure New Zealand – Beyond Convention’ (www.businessevents.newzealand.com), underlining the country’s sophisticated meeting venues, stunning scenery and warm welcome in modern, lively cities with luxurious accommodation.

Using the campaign slogan ‘Where business events go beyond convention’, New Zealand aims to attract international business events, focusing on its strengths in industries from marine and aviation to agribusiness, health science, high value foods and earth science. Additional sectors identified for MICE potential include tourism, indigenous culture, creative/digital and biosecurity/conservation.

In line with this, Prime Minister John Key has upped the country’s tourism budget by $158 million, of which $34 million will go towards promoting and supporting international business events over the next four years, with particular emphasis on the US, Chinese, Indian, Singaporean, Malaysian, Indonesian and Australian markets.

The funding will play an important part in helping promote New Zealand's existing conference offerings, as well as proposed new venues including a $402 million New Zealand International Convention Centre in Auckland, capable of accommodating 3,500 people, and new convention centres in Christchurch and Queenstown.

Currently, Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch regularly host international conferences and major national events.

Larger venue options range from ASB Theatre in Auckland’s Aotea Centre to the huge Claudelands Events Centre in Hamilton, the lakeside Rotorua Energy Events Centre and spectacular Skyline Queenstown, perched atop Bobs Peak and offering panoramic views of Lake Wakatipu and the Remarkables mountain range.

Other unique venues include the iconic Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa in Wellington, Christchurch’s Air Force Museum, and The Dunedin Centre – an elegant historically classified building in the South Island city of Dunedin.

TNZ, partnering exclusively with New Zealand Business Events Sector, will also support bids to bring international conference and incentive groups to New Zealand.

To assist with hosting international association conferences in New Zealand, Tourism New Zealand also administers the Conference Assistance Programme (CAP) on behalf of the Ministry of Business Innovation and Events. This fund is available to associations to support them during the bid and pitch process.

“New Zealand’s dramatic landscapes and cosmopolitan centres give business events visitors and incentive travellers plenty of options when it comes to activities that are in close proximity to their event, be it adventure, rejuvenation and inspiration. We think that offers something pretty unique to the business events market.’’ said Mischa Mannix-Opie, Regional Manager for South and Southeast Asia for Tourism New Zealand.

Mischa Mannix-Opie, Regional Manager for South and Southeast Asia for Tourism New Zealand

As an added incentive for the Thai business events market, Tourism New Zealand together with Auckland International Airport is refunding group visa fees for Thai incentive groups traveling to New Zealand on Thai Airways’ direct International Bangkok to Auckland route with a minimum of 20 passengers per group. The promotion is available on a first come-first served basis for the first 285 passengers traveling between 15 October and 31 December 2013.

For more information on the promotion, please contact Tourism New Zealand on (66) 2670 0114/5 on weekday office hours from 10am – 4pm.

For more information visit: www.businessevents.newzealand.com