Attendees at the Unleashing the Potential of Business Events forum at the Aotea Centre discussed new research, market insights and collaborative strategies to boost Auckland as a business events destination and drive economic growth as a result.
Feedback from international attendees confirmed Auckland and New Zealand’s unique culture, experiences and reputation as safe and innovative with strong research credentials positioned the city well to win international conferences and incentives.
However events need to become more strategic and impactful to combat financial and sustainability challenges. Attendees believed this would likely be driven by greater partnership between the public and private sectors to create intentional rather than incidental benefits through events.
“This forum sends a powerful message to the global business events industry that Auckland deserves its ranking as New Zealand’s top city in the International Congress and Convention Association rankings and the best meetings, incentives, conferences [and] events destination in Oceania,” said Auckland’s acting mayor, Desley Simpson.
“We are definitely leading the way for world class business events, continually innovating, adapting and collaborating to stay ahead.
“This opportunity brings the public and private sectors together to focus on how we can further strengthen the region’s prosperity to take Auckland forward.”
Head of Auckland Convention Bureau, Ken Pereira, believes the forum will help accelerate business events in New Zealand’s largest city.
“This forum demonstrated the incredible role business events play in supporting Auckland’s growth as a global destination,” said Pereira.
“Through meaningful discussions and insights, we highlighted how business events are a catalyst to attracting diverse sectors, ultimately driving significant and lasting outcomes for our communities.
“In addition to supporting visitor spend in tourism, hospitality and retail, business events not only highlight Auckland’s potential but also reinforces Tātaki Auckland Unlimited’s commitment to leveraging these events as catalysts for sustainable economic and social impact.”
The forum comes just ahead of the opening of the New Zealand International Convention Centre (NZICC) next year, which is expected to generate $90 million for Auckland each year. The convention centre will be supported by the city’s rising hotel stock.
General manager of the NZICC, Prue Daly, has already spoken to micenet about the growth opportunities the centre will bring to Auckland and New Zealand.
“For our business events industry, we hope we represent opportunity for growth, whether that’s our New Zealand clients who have been hindered by space and couldn’t grow their event, because they haven’t had a venue of scale to work in, [or] whether it’s the suppliers that we work [with] that will obviously get opportunity through the new events that we bring,” she said.
