New Zealand’s first Business Events Week launched on 18 Sept with the Business Events Industry Aotearoa (BEIA) Annual Conference in Marlborough, followed by policy and business forums in Wellington and Auckland.

Spearheaded by peak industry body BEIA, New Zealand Business Events Week has been developed as a platform to elevate the importance of the sector to New Zealand. It includes five days of meetings, forums, seminars and awards attended by over 300 industry delegates.

Leading global business events experts and international strategists are joining local professionals to throw a spotlight on the sector’s future legacies and opportunities. BEIA Chief Executive, Lisa Hopkins says business events are proving an economic powerhouse for New Zealand.

“The global business events industry, which is valued at $1.6 trillion USD, is now in full recovery mode and New Zealand is set to attract high quality events to our shores that will benefit our economy, society, culture, and environment,” she says.

“Our industry has come of age with new world-class infrastructure including two new conventions centres, Te Pae Christchurch and Tākina Wellington, and the New Zealand International Convention Centre (NZICC) in Auckland set to open in 2025,” Hopkins says.

Business events is currently Tourism New Zealand’s fourth most valuable visitor market – after Australia, the United States, and the United Kingdom.

Tourism New Zealand Chief Executive René de Monchy says business events bring high quality visitors that deliver knowledge, business and economic benefits and positive social legacies to our country.

“Recent investment in new infrastructure has ensured New Zealand has a world-class business events offering. This is a great time for the business events sector to work together and achieve sustainable business events growth that will support New Zealand’s economy,” he says.

Keynote conference speaker, Senthil Gopinath, CEO of the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) – Global Meetings Industry Association, headquartered in the Netherlands will be focusing on the global view and opportunities on the world stage.

Strategic expert, Martin Sirk will be challenging ‘business as usual’ thinking at the conference and forums throughout the week. He is the former CEO of ICCA and is a leading expert on the social and economic impact of meetings, and the future evolution of the meetings industry.

NEW ZEALAND BUSINESS EVENTS WEEK 2023 – CALENDAR

18-20 September – BEIA Annual Conference Marlborough

The BEIA’s annual conference of education and networking has been integrated into Business Events Week.

21 September – Policy Forum, Wellington

An invitation-only meeting of industry leaders, government agencies, and experts from the worlds of healthcare, scientific research, academia, business and sustainability designed to increase understanding of the strategic value of meetings beyond their direct economic impact, and to build stronger collaboration across these different sectors.

21 September – Tourism New Zealand National Awards Dinner, Auckland

Tourism New Zealand’s annual celebration of the academics and industry leaders who have bid for and won international conferences for New Zealand.

22 September – Auckland Business Forum

An invitation-only meeting of industry leaders will identify how to improve teamwork across Auckland, the business events industry, and end-beneficiaries.

22 September – ICCA International Conference Seminar, Auckland

An education session designed for those active in securing international conferences for New Zealand, covering insights and market trends, competitive advantages, and strategies to win business.