Tourism New Zealand (TNZ) is keen to emerge as a year-round destination and to enhance international tourism receipts by USD 5 billion by the year 2028. 

According to a press statement by TNZ, in its new strategy, business events will play a significant role, with a target of spending USD 140 million in conference bids in 2025.

TNZ says its recent event, 2024 Business Events Industry Aotearoa’s Meetings, the nation’s largest national tradeshow for the business events industry, took place in Rotorua in June. 

Bjoern Spreitzer, General Manager NZ and Business Events at Tourism New Zealand, says his team enjoyed the chance to meet with over 1,200 attendees, including over 200 top business event organisers from Australia, North America, Asia, and New Zealand.

“In 2023, the sector was worth USD 403 million to the country and 83 pc of international business delegates arrived during the off-peak period between March and November. We also know these attendees spend USD 426 a day, around USD 100 more a day than people who come here on holiday,” Spreitzer says.

Bjoern Spreitzer

He adds that in the next year Tourism New Zealand will be focused on growing the value of the business events sector by targetting larger, high impact conferences. 

This was aligned with Tourism New Zealand’s ambition to grow international tourism receipts by USD 5 billion over the next four years, with an increase of USD 3.5 billion from off-peak visitation.

“New Zealand’s business events sector has bounced back with 56 international conferences in 2023, a massive increase from just five in 2021. We see significant growth potential too, with Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch all boasting new world-class convention centres, alongside the excellent existing venues we have across the country,” Spreitzer adds.

The statement adds that this year Tourism New Zealand worked with Air New Zealand, local convention bureaux and partners to bring buyers from North America, Southeast Asia, and Hong Kong to Rotorua for the event.

This was in line with goals to grow New Zealand’s share of conferences in the Asia Pacific region and the contribution of high value incentives from North America off-peak.