The funding was announced during New Zealand’s flagship business events trade show MEETINGS, currently underway at the just-opened New Zealand International Convention Centre (NZICC) in Auckland.
“Business events are a high-value part of our visitor mix, bringing people who spend more, travel outside peak seasons and help build skills and connections across our economy,” said New Zealand’s tourism minister Louise Upston.
“Multi-day conferences supported $925 million in economic activity in 2025 and generated more than 735,000 international visitor nights. This funding will help maintain a strong pipeline of international conferences.”
The funding will go to the Conference Assistance Program, managed by Tourism New Zealand Business Events, which supports bids for international meetings, including providing subvention.
Industry body Business Events Industry Aotearoa (BEIA) applauded the additional funding.
“This investment will help bring more of the world’s expertise, ideas and influence to New Zealand,” said BEIA chief executive, Lisa Hopkins.
“It’s an opportunity not only to attract more events, but to attract the right events – events that build our capability, strengthen our industries and connect New Zealand more closely to international networks and opportunities.
“The immediate benefits of business events for New Zealand’s visitor economy are substantial, but the greater value can be found in what happens because an event has taken place.
“International conferences bring decision-makers, researchers, investors, entrepreneurs and industry leaders to New Zealand. They create opportunities for knowledge to be exchanged, and for investment, innovation and impactful international connections,” said Hopkins.
The business events funding was unveiled as part of a larger package of funding for the visitor economy, with the government also providing NZ$4 million to Tourism New Zealand to increase leisure travel marketing efforts in Australia, the United States and China.
The just-announced business events funding is a step down from what was committed by the government in 2025, with two separate announcements of NZ$3 million each for business events made during the year.
