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Norfolk Island is revamping its image as a leisure destination, stressing its stylish and culturally rich appeal, a move that will cement its appeal as a meetings destination as well. The recent image change, the most dramatic in the island’s history, follows the introduction of a range of new attractions, adventure activities, upmarket accommodation and stylish eateries.

Launching the campaign, Norfolk Island Tourism Minister, David Buffett, said the aim was to broaden the island’s appeal as a destination in the key markets of Australia and New Zealand.

“This is a bold new campaign to re-align our island’s image with the market demands of the 21st century,” he said. “We’re determined to meet and exceed the expectations of today’s traveller.”

Norfolk Island attracted a record 40,000 visitors in 2003, but the island’s small size – it is just 8 kilometres by 5 kilometres – meant it had to focus on increasing yield and length of stay rather than turnstile traffic. A key area for improvement is in the meetings market.

Norfolk Island venues >> function rooms & venues

STYLISH GATHERINGS

Centrepiece of the campaign is a fresh, new look brochure, “Our Island Home”, which showcases Norfolk Island as a beautiful, friendly, laid-back and stylish destination offering gourmet dining, a colourful heritage, adventure activities, pristine beaches and unique customs, only 2 hours flying time from Australia or New Zealand.

More than 60% of Norfolk’s 71 resorts, cottages, apartments and guesthouses are now rated 4 star and above, with 2 properties boasting 5 star. There are also 35 eateries, including wine bars and cafe bookshops as well as traditional cliff top fish-fries and progressive dinners allowing visitors to dine in various homes. Diamonds and the latest fashions can also be bought from some of the 70 shops offering tax-free bargains.

One popular Norfolk Island property, The Colonial of Norfolk Island, is well known to conference organisers. It has 55 guestrooms including 6 executive suites and 2 meeting rooms, the largest able to seat up to 160 people theatre style or 140 for banquets.

NEW ZEALAND APPEAL

In New Zealand, the new SKYCITY Auckland Convention Centre held a grand official opening party in late July. The “Out Of The Blue” themed evening showcased the venue’s state-of-the-art technology and AV capabilities, excellence in catering and service, entertainment, and event management as well as the stylish new centre itself.

Since opening its doors in early April for evening functions, the new SKYCITY Auckland Convention Centre has hosted a number of prominent functions and events such as the Special Olympics’ New Zealand fundraising gala dinner and the New Zealand Breast Cancer Foundation’s In the Pink fashion show.

New Zealand venues >> function rooms & venues

SKYCITY Auckland Convention Centre has already secured bookings as far forward as 2007, with delegate numbers ranging in size between 300 and 1,600 people. Situated opposite SKYCITY Auckland, the SKYCITY Auckland Convention Centre has 2 levels of conferencing, exhibition and banqueting space totalling over 50,000 square metres, featuring a 1,300 square metre room seating 1,500 people theatre style or 1,200 for banquets, plus a second main room with 1,040 square metres of conference and exhibition space.

NO LIMITS

There are also two 670 square metre foyers, 9 break-out rooms, 2 board rooms, 2 business offices and business centre facilities. The state-of-the-art technology including wireless hot zones, high-end sound systems and sophisticated data capabilities.

The $NZ140 million development was the largest commercial project then under way in the city. It comprises 5 floors of convention centre with the 16 upper levels forming the new 316 room 5 star SKYCITY Grand Hotel which is scheduled to open in April 2005.

In Wellington, the vibrant and exciting capital of New Zealand, staff at the Wellington Convention Centre have good reason to feel proud as the venue is the first in New Zealand to earn a Qualmark rating that puts it in the same league as Wellington’s top hotels.

FULL MARKS

Qualmark is the New Zealand tourism industry’s official mark of quality and the Convention Centre, which incorporates the Michael Fowler Centre and Town Hall, has been awarded a near perfect 4 star plus rating, putting its service and facilities somewhere between excellent and exceptional.

Qualmark’s trademark silver fern, which has previously been associated with hotels and tourism businesses, has recently been extended to entertainment venues. The trademark signifies that a business has successfully come through a rigorous independent assessment that examines all kinds of things including comfort, cleanliness, safety, service, and supporting processes.

Christchurch this year hosted New Zealand’s premier tourism industry event. A massive Mardi Gras Happy Hour was organised for 1,700 people and 70 media along the city’s Oxford Terrace and involving 7 trendy bars and 5 restaurants. 9 marquees were erected and entertainment included Latin American bands, jugglers and street performers. The May event was followed by MEETINGS 2004 in July, which brought together the country’s conference industry. It was the first time MEETINGS had been held on the South Island.

ELVES IN THE ELEMENTS

In Christchurch, conference delegates can now re-enact some of the Lord of The Rings’ most dramatic moments where they really happened. Rock and Ice NZ, based in Christchurch, has come up with a Middle Earth teambuilding event guaranteed to impress. Groups are taken to Mt Sunday, the actual site of the Edoras, home to the people of the Rohan in the Lord of The Rings trilogy. This is a sheer-sided hill in the middle of an expansive plain carved by glaciers, bordered by impassable mountains of rock and ice.

Activities take place in this spectacular Canterbury high country location on Mount Potts Station, in the Rangitata river valley about 2 hours from Christchurch. Teambuilding events revolve around groups of Orcs, Hobbits and Elves. Each must face challenges along the way to carry their own ring to its ultimate fate – to be thrown off the edge of a cliff into Mt Doom.

The Hotel Grand Chancellor, one of Christchurch’s best known conference hotels, has added a new 250 square metre meetings facility. Also in Christchurch, the Outrigger at Clearwater Resort is a new 96 room retreat for meetings and incentives. Covering 188 hectares, it is just 7 minutes from Christchurch International Airport and 15 minutes from the CBD.

MEETINGS ON THE GREEN

The par 72 golf course, home to the New Zealand PGA Championship, is Outrigger’s first golf-related venture outside Hawaii. Kaikainui is the Outrigger at Clearwater Resort’s prime meetings facility, a name that roughly translates from Maori as “a significant meeting place with an abundance of food”.

Built over a trout-stocked lake, Kaikainui has 126 square metres of space, which can accommodate up to 180 people theatre style or 144 for banquets. Adjacent is a private dining area which can seat 34 people for banquets, or 30 theatre style. The centre has double glazed floor-to-ceiling windows, blackout curtains, dimmers and ducted air-conditioning.

The Clubhouse also has a range of meeting rooms, the largest taking 68 people theatre style or 40 for banquets. The Library, overlooking the 18th green, is useful for informal meetings while another alternative for small meetings, especially when privacy is the key factor, is to choose one of the resort’s open-plan terrace apartments.