One of eight policy objectives in the recently released tourism policy statement is to use events to generate year-round traveller demand and to draw high value visitors to New Zealand.
The policy statement notes how events “create opportunities to showcase New Zealand’s capabilities, creativity and expertise to the world”.
“At a local level, events provide opportunities to generate value from key venues such as our stadiums and convention centres, contribute to building vibrant communities, support local jobs and businesses and create lasting benefits for our communities,” the policy statement reads.
The statement also acknowledges the role of events in building trade and investment relationships alongside supporting beneficial social outcomes and the knowledge economy.
According to the statement, “from a strategic perspective, a balanced and coherent approach to events is essential”.
“Over-reliance on any single type of event can limit resilience and narrow economic growth opportunities, while fragmented investment can dilute impact. Government’s policy direction therefore provides certainty that events are a core component of the tourism system, while recognising the need for differentiated approaches.”
One of the actions for tourism policy going forward is a review of the events system, including how New Zealand plans, invests in and delivers events. The intention is for the review to lead to the creation of “a well‑coordinated, outcomes‑focused system that maximises public value from government investment”.
The review will look at the role of the government in different kinds of events, how event outcomes and value are defined and evaluated, funding for events and how New Zealand’s regulatory settings can help the country remain internationally competitive for events.
Chief executive of Business Events Industry Aotearoa (BEIA), Lisa Hopkins, said the association was involved in the event system review.
“We will continue to advocate for business events to be recognised for their specific role in attracting international visitors, supporting off-peak demand and generating wider benefits for New Zealand businesses and communities,” said Hopkins.
“We look forward to working with government, Tourism New Zealand, regional tourism organisations, convention bureaux, venues and industry partners to ensure this recognition is reflected in the implementation of the statement,” she said.
