Collectively these successful bids are worth an estimated NZ$78.8 million to New Zealand.
“What that economic impact figure doesn’t capture is the other benefits hosting these events deliver to New Zealand, from research collaborations to investment opportunities, job creation, profile for New Zealand universities and knowledge sharing to find solutions to global challenges,” said Tourism New Zealand’s global manager of business events, Penelope Ryan.
The 64 wins come from 100 bid results announced over the last year, representing a near two-thirds success rate for New Zealand once a bid is in.
Wins over the year include the International Precision Dairy Farming Conference 2025, which takes place in December in Christchurch, the WONCA World Rural Health Conference for Wellington in 2026 and the Asia-Pacific Intelligent Transport Systems Forum 2027, which is expected to draw around 1,000 delegates when it’s held at the New Zealand International Convention Centre (NZICC).
The majority of the 64 events secured were for bids made within last financial year.
Between July 2024 and June 2025, the team submitted a record 112 bids – exceeding a 110-bid target, which in itself was an increase from an original 90-bid goal, following an addition NZ$3 million in government funding in March.
The 112 bids submitted last financial year are valued at $173 million.
“We continue to accelerate momentum thanks to the government’s additional $3 million in funding for the 2026 financial year,” said Ryan.
“We’re holding the 110-bid stretch target but aiming to increase the value to $185 million in FY26.
“We have conference bids in process for 2026 and beyond, with wins confirmed as far ahead as 2030, highlighting the vital role business events activity plays in growing the New Zealand economy now and into the future.”
Tourism New Zealand has already won nine bids in July, with several of these wins to be held outside New Zealand’s three major cities in destinations including Dunedin, Hamilton and the Bay of Islands.
“People often think of conferences as things that happen solely within the four walls of a convention centre,” said Ryan.
“The magic of events in New Zealand comes with our combination of world-class venues plus the unparalleled opportunities for real world experiences and learning to bring the conference to life, surrounded by our unique manaakitanga – our welcome and care for visitors.
“This combination is putting us in good stead to target higher value and larger scale conferences, enabling us to build on the value that business events deliver to New Zealand and New Zealanders.”
New Zealand is in the final throes of a convention centre opening boom – Christchurch’s new convention centre opened in 2022, followed by Tākina in Wellington, opening in 2023, while the NZICC has an opening date slated for February 2026.
