The review by MartinJenkins was commissioned earlier this year and lays out six pillars for a new model for New Zealand’s events ecosystem – covering both public and business events – and a multi-year pathway to achieving its recommended “Championing” model.
The six foundations for the “end-state” model will require an incremental recalibration of the current events landscape in New Zealand, including devising a national strategy and considering New Zealand’s public and business events as part of a cohesive portfolio, developing a national investment platform for events, creating a national stewardship function that centralises oversight of the country’s event system as well as driving the actions required for its growth, establishing a “durable” collaboration between New Zealand’s national government and the country’s various local governments, creating a closer connection between public and business events and establishing a more conducive regulatory environment for events.
The multi-year approach to fully develop the model stretches out to 2030, with modelling in the report based on a significant increase to funding by the New Zealand Government of between NZ$26 million and NZ$32 million per year, plus “a sustainable local or regional funding mechanism”.
According to the review, the funding uplift could deliver 18,500 to 21,500 more overseas visitors to New Zealand and support 150 more international business events bids, with a value of NZ$350 million.
While the review determined that New Zealand’s event system could deliver more, it emphasised its existing strengths.
“The review has found that the current system has substantial strengths, including committed people, capable delivery partners, a strong hosting reputation and demonstrated success when agencies, councils and organisers align around the most significant opportunities,” said the report.
“Continuing with the current model will not be enough if New Zealand wants to compete more deliberately for high-value events and realise broader public value from events.
“The system needs clearer strategy, more stable and coordinated investment, stronger stewardship, a more durable central–local partnership and a more consistent and enabling operating environment.
“Without these changes, New Zealand is likely to continue securing and delivering good individual events, but with uneven investment, missed leverage opportunities and a weaker ability to consistently compete for the highest-value opportunities.”
New Zealand’s tourism and hospitality minister Louise Upston announced the development of a national events strategy today, saying a strategy will provide “a national direction for the system and [take] into account New Zealand’s strengths, competitive advantage and national priorities”.
“The strategy will provide a framework for New Zealand to be more deliberate about attracting, supporting and leveraging events that maximise public value outcomes,” she said.
“This could include increasing the value of tourism exports, creating new trade and investment opportunities, enhancing New Zealand’s international brand and reputation and delivering social and community benefits.
“Over time, the strategy will provide for a stronger, more ambitious events sector that delivers greater value for New Zealanders and supports growth across the country.”
Upston said the government will also undertake some “immediate actions” put forward by the review, while it considers the full breadth of recommendations.
New Zealand business events body, Business Events Industry Aotearoa (BEIA), has applauded both the findings of the review and the commitment to developing a national strategy for the events industry.
“This is a significant piece of work for New Zealand’s events sector,” said BEIA chief executive, Lisa Hopkins, of the event system review.
“It’s good to see the report recognises that New Zealand already has strong business events capability.
“It also highlights the significant value events of all kinds already create, as well as the opportunity in front of the wider events sector to achieve much more from them.
“The report specifically recognises the role business events play, not just economically, but also strategically.
“It recognises how effective our sector is in driving outcomes for investment, knowledge sharing, connections and global reputation, as well as regional dispersal.
“It also references the importance of domestic business events, which are crucial for all regions.”
On the prospect of a national events strategy, Hopkins said BEIA “is looking forward to being closely involved in the development of the strategy” including collaborating with government, the association’s membership and the broader events industry.
“We need to be clear about the types of events New Zealand wants to attract, what we want to get from them and how government and the wider events industry can work together to make that happen,” said Hopkins.
“Having a shared strategy is an important step, and having the events industry at the table to help develop this will be essential.
“The people who are attracting, bidding for and delivering events understand the opportunities available to New Zealand, but also the increasingly competitive international environment in securing events of all kinds.”
Having already developed a national strategic direction for the business events industry called Pīata Mai in 2024, BEIA will begin reviewing the direction at the association’s national conference in October, on the expectation that it will feed into the national strategy.
