With more than 1,200 attendees, there were 8,000 appointments between event organisers and New Zealand business events products and services.
“I’ve made some wonderful connections for the future which I will share with my team back in Melbourne,” said first-time hosted buyer to MEETINGS, Sarah Adams from TRIBE Travel and Events Australia.
“There are lots of options and something different for groups from 100 to 1,000, plus small incentive groups.
“The regions all have a real sense of community, and venues and suppliers are open to being adaptable for bespoke events. If I can dream it, they can do it,” she said.
Around 700 people attended both the welcome event at Eden Park on Tuesday and the closing celebration held on Thursday evening at the recently reopened venue, the Viaduct Events Centre on the waterfront. With a nautical chic theme, the closing social event featured plenty of seafood and a new New Zealand supergroup called Sonar Flare.
“The atmosphere has been fantastic and all our buyers from New Zealand, Australia and international markets have been wowed by the depth and breadth of experiences on show from across New Zealand,” said Lisa Hopkins, chief executive of Business Events Industry Aotearoa (BEIA), which owns and runs MEETINGS.
MEETINGS 2025 opened with a bang, with the New Zealand tourism minister, Louise Upston choosing to announce another $3 million of funding to attract conferences to New Zealand, through Tourism New Zealand, at the welcome event.
The show also drew influential figures from across New Zealand’s business events ecosystem and the global meetings association landscape.
A leadership conversation – Kōrero – on Wednesday saw leaders from Auckland Unlimited, Tourism New Zealand, Immigration New Zealand, Auckland Airport, Air New Zealand, One New Zealand Stadium Christchurch, the New Zealand International Convention Centre (NZICC) all present updates to an audience of industry leaders and media.
These presentations were followed by a panel discussion between Sven Bossu, CEO of the International Association of Convention Centres (AIPC), Florence Chu, the APAC managing director for the Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA), Matt Pearce, board director for the Australian Business Events Association (ABEA) and Hopkins from BEIA.
“Our Kōrero centred on the key forces shaping business events in Aotearoa New Zealand, grounded in leadership, investment and shared goals for growth,” said Hopkins.
There will be more on the Kōrero in micenet’s Tuesday stories.
Just before the show floor closed for 2025 on Thursday, best the stand awards – as voted by buyers – were announced, with Rotorua taking home the best regional stand, Millennium Hotels and Resorts winning best individual stand and DMC newcomer ROAM and its perfume activation with Miller Road Fragrances taking out best new exhibitor.
MEETINGS 2026 will be held June 17 and 18 at the NZICC, which has announced a February 2026 opening.
