New Zealand’s events and conference sector has welcomed the news that the New Zealand International Convention Centre (NZICC) has received resource consent approval.
The industry hopes the decision means work on the new facility will get underway soon.
Conventions and Incentives New Zealand (CINZ) chief executive Sue Sullivan said the new convention centre can’t come soon enough to meet growing demand from international organisers.
“New Zealand can now compete on the world stage, challenging Australia and South East Asia for lucrative convention business,” she said. "We look forward to seeing this purpose-built facility get underway very soon. With space for more than 3,000 delegates it will allow New Zealand to stage conferences of a size not seen here before.”
Sue Sullivan added that business event visitors spend more and stay longer than the average leisure visitor, and arrive in the off-peak months, at a time of year when other tourism tends to be quiet.
The Convention Delegate Survey for 2014 (MBIE) shows international delegates stayed an average of 6.5 nights in New Zealand, spending an estimated NZ$304 (US$193) per night, almost double the average spend per night for all international visitors. On average international delegates spent $1,991 during their stay in New Zealand, according to the survey.
CINZ is the official, membership based association of New Zealand’s conference and business travel industry and has 400 members.
