More than 100 buyers from Australia are locked in to attend, alongside 134 hosted buyers from around New Zealand. For the first time since 2019, international hosted buyers from further afield will be attending the show with 10 international buyers from Asia and North America being hosted for the event. In addition, up to 300 day buyers from Wellington and other parts of New Zealand have registered, with registrations still open and the event free to attend.
In terms of sellers, there will be 224 stands representing products and services from 19 regions of New Zealand on the show floor.
BEIA’s chief executive, Lisa Hopkins, believes new infrastructure, diverse regional characters, strong cultural practices, innovative sustainability practices and good air connectivity make New Zealand an attractive proposition for business events organisers.
The opening of Tākina just weeks ago, at the end of May, has also proved a gamechanger for bringing the event to the capital.
“Following the opening of New Zealand’s second new-generation convention venue, Tākina Wellington Convention and Exhibition Centre, Wellington now has the capacity and capability to host large-scale national events such as MEETINGS,” said Hopkins.
“Our visiting buyers, who are key event organisers, will have the chance to experience New Zealand’s newest state-of-the-art international business events venue in action.”
The venue has already been put through its paces a few times, with a pre-opening event attracting around 500 local and international for the Trans-Tasman Members’ Choice Symposium, staged by the Australian Psychological Society (APS) and the New Zealand Psychological Society, over 700 people attending the opening celebration of the convention centre, and Tākina’s first official client event, the Festival for the Future, drawing more than 1,400 delegates on June 8 and 9.
When MEETINGS is held at Tākina next week, it will occupy both business event floors of the centre.
Wellington will also have the opportunity to showcase a variety of its hotels and other business events venues, with hosted buyers and media taking up residence in properties around the city centre and the welcome event and closing gala dinner being held at Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa and TSB Auditorium at Shed 6 respectively.
