Naturally New Zealand

With its stunning natural attractions, easy air access and a growing number of world-class venues, New Zealand is a popular choice for Australian convention organisers.

New Zealand’s unique environment gives convention planners a chance to create innovative agendas, challenging delegates with unusual outdoor adventures or pampering them at luxury retreats, and offering a wide range of pre and post-touring options.

>> Conference & meeting venues New Zealand North Island

>> Conference & meeting venues in New Zealand South Island

Experiencing New Zealand’s unique Maori culture is often a key to an unforgettable conference, with traditional welcoming ceremonies, visits to marae and other cultural exchanges.

Wellington, New Zealand’s capital, is focusing on Australia as part of a new drive to increase its share of the meetings, incentives and conventions market.

With major meetings facilities – including the national museum, Te Papa Tongarewa, the Wellington Convention Centre and the Westpac Stadium – the city is moving to increase its share of MICE business in Australasia.



“Wellington has everything the MICE market could need, with plentiful accommodation, extensive meetings space and unique local attractions,” says Martin Boland, Positively Wellington Tourism’s convention bureau sales manager.

“For Australian conference organisers, we are an international destination only a domestic distance away,” says Boland. “We have more than 50 direct flights offering in excess of 6,000 seats per week from Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.”
Touring options from Wellington range from the relaxing rail trip to the famous Martinborough wine country, to special food and wine tours, arts experiences and major sporting events.

Wellington recently secured the International Diabetes Conference for 2008, with 2,000 delegates, while the Global Physical Education Conference will be held in the city in 2007, with 750 delegates.

“Major conferences such as these demonstrate not only our ability to accommodate large MICE groups, but confidence among professional conference planners in the ability of Wellington to host such major events,” says Boland. “We have commenced a program of sales calls in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, and will continue this program during 2006, as well as attending major conference events, including AIME.”

Conference planners can now also take advantage of the services of the newly launched Restaurant Associates (RA) 5 star event catering brand and service. Available exclusively across Wellington Convention Centre’s 20 venues, RA has a long history as the preferred catering company to many of the world’s best venues, including New York’s Carnegie Hall and the London Stock Exchange.

The Auckland Convention Centre at THE EDGE® has fought off powerful competition to host the 2009 Asian and Oceanic Congress of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, a four day congress of the scale of the recent International Bar Association conference that brought $20 million in economic benefits to Auckland.

The congress will attract up to 2,000 delegates and their partners from around the world, and will be preceded by a four day Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology annual scientific meeting, providing additional economic benefit to Auckland.

“This is the first time this congress has been held in New Zealand – and another big win for Auckland Convention Centre at THE EDGE®. We faced strong competition, so our win represents very significant international recognition of the calibre of both the bid we put together and our facilities,” says THE EDGE® chief executive Greg Innes.

Auckland Convention Centre at THE EDGE® comprises three landmark buildings – the Aotea Centre, The Civic and Auckland Town Hall, along with the Aotea Square. THE EDGE® manages the venues and works with local New Zealand associations to bid for international conventions.