Wellington, New Zealand, recently welcomed two international groups to experience everything the city offers event planners, including a sneak peek at the new Tākina conference and exhibition centre before its opening in June.
One group of international business events media and buyers arrived as part of a more prominent New Zealand famil organised by Tourism New Zealand following the AIME trade show in Australia, shortly followed by another group of Australian associations and international media.
“Opportunities to get these influential events decisionmakers and influencers on the ground in Wellington are extremely valuable,” Business Events Wellington’s Irette Ferreira commented.
“They not only see the variety and versatility of our venues and events infrastructure in-person but get a sense of the vibrancy of our city and how easy and appealing it is to hold events here.”
Helen Vertoudakis of the Australasian Society for Infectious Diseases said she was pleasantly surprised when visiting Wellington: “The variety of venues and social options for conferences such as ours are plentiful, and I’m incredibly excited about hosting our 2024 Annual Scientific Meeting in the city and at Tākina.”
The action-packed itineraries included a showcase of Wellington’s foodie credentials, from a dinner of Māori cuisine at award-winning restaurant Hiakai to dinner on the stage of the grand St James Theatre, a meal behind the scenes of national museum Te Papa Tongarewa, gin-making at Southward Gin, and a breakfast at urban ecosanctuary Zealandia. The city’s walkability was highlighted in a tour of some local delicious hotspots, with guests learning to make a flat white and making their chocolate at Wellington Chocolate Factory.
The visitors also took in some of the capital city’s landmarks, seeing New Zealand’s founding documents, including te Tiriti o Waitangi (the Treaty of Waitangi) at the National Library Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, and a visit to New Zealand’s Parliament, as well as joining one of the first-ever tours of new landmark Tākina that didn’t require hard hats.
The groups also had the opportunity to meet and engage with local city advocates, reinforcing the accessibility of critical national figures and thought leaders in the capital. This included Wellington City’s Mayor, Tory Whanau; former Mayor and Chair of Te Papa Tongarewa, Dame Fran Wilde, and Chief Executive of the Royal Society of New Zealand, Paul Atkins.
“This was my first visit to Wellington, and what a delight it was,” said Rodney Cox of the International Gas Union.
“The versatility, knowledge and ease of access across the city is magnificent. The opportunity to meet with local industry ambassadors certainly showcased the depth of support that Business Events Wellington is able to offer.”
Business Events Wellington is the official convention bureau for the Wellington region. With years of industry and event planning experience and in-depth knowledge of the Wellington region, Business Events Wellington provides free and impartial advice for planning a business event in Wellington.
Find out more at WellingtonNZ.com/Meet.
Edited by: Peter Needham
