Over 1,100 business events professionals from New Zealand, Australia, and Asia-Pacific are heading to Rotorua next week for MEETINGS 2024, the national trade show for the business events sector, on June 19 and 20.

The excitement starts this weekend when more than 30 Australian-hosted buyers will be treated to a pre-MEETINGS tour of the Hobbiton™ Movie Set to experience the brand-new Bagshot Row™ development.

On Sunday, 16 June, Australian buyers will be collected from Auckland Airport in Hobbiton™ coaches to stay at DoubleTree by Hilton Karaka, then head to the movie set in rural Waikato before joining RotoruaNZ for a unique one-day destination family on Tuesday, 18 June.

Business Events Industry Aotearoa (BEIA) Chief Executive Lisa Hopkins says they are thrilled buyers can see more of the country’s attractions while they are here and experience what’s on offer so close to the host city, Rotorua.

“MEETINGS is so much more than a two-day tradeshow. It will be a multi-sensory experience that will leave guests with long-lasting memories.

“Our visitors to MEETINGS 2024 can expect a full immersion into Aotearoa New Zealand’s rich culture, and an extremely warm welcome in the heart of the North Island,” she says.

Shayne Forrest, General Manager of Tourism at Hobbiton™ Movie Set, says the team is looking forward to revealing the new set firsthand to a large number of hosted buyers.

“We really appreciate the opportunity to showcase our piece of Middle-earth and to host buyers in our brand new Bagshot Row™ interior Hobbit Holes. These only opened to the public six months ago and the feedback has been incredible, with people blown away with the attention to detail that has brought these spaces to life, we think it’s going to be very popular in the business events and incentive space.”

New Zealand-hosted buyers will have their turn to experience tours of the Hobbiton™ Movie Set before and after MEETINGS on Monday, June 17, and Friday, June 21.

Many Australian-hosted buyers are staying on after MEETINGS with the support of Air New Zealand and regional business events bureaux to visit Auckland, Taupō, Rotorua, Waikato, Wellington, or Christchurch.

BEIA’s annual showcase will welcome a record number of buyers and exhibitors for two days at Rotorua’s Energy Events Centre, with a pōhiri and welcome function at the Sir Howard Morrison Centre on Tuesday, 18 June.

MEETINGS 2024 coincides with Te Tau Hou Māori —the Māori New Year when Matariki reappears in the dawn skies. RotoruaNZ is inviting hosted buyers to a special Matariki dinner on Wednesday, June 19, to celebrate.

New this year, MEETINGS Education sessions for buyers will be held during lunch breaks on both days, covering a wide range of relevant and trending topics.

The Tourism New Zealand Knowledge and Destination Hub will host 23 different 15-minute targeted presentations throughout the two days of MEETINGS. Attendees can find out what’s new in New Zealand events with regional showcase updates nationwide.

Day buyers can register for free on the MEETINGS website. They can attend MEETINGS of any length and request priority registration for their choice of education sessions, complimentary activities in Rotorua, and return transport from Auckland.

Business Events Industry Aotearoa (BEIA) is the official membership-based association of New Zealand’s business events sector. It has more than 460 members across a broad range of industries.

BEIA actively promotes the sector for its members and New Zealand. It advocates with the central government and offers assistance, information, professional development, and business connections to its members.

MEETINGS is Aotearoa, New Zealand’s only national tradeshow for the business events industry. It is the leading platform for connecting influential domestic, Australian and international buyers with critical regions, meeting facilities, accommodation, off-site venues and activities.

Now in its 28th year, MEETINGS is owned and managed by Business Events Industry Aotearoa (BEIA).

After receiving Toitū net carbonzero certification as a Certified Event Operation for the first time last year, MEETINGS is continuing its journey as a certified net carbon zero event in 2024.

MEETINGS 2023 broke records this year for the value of its generated business. BEIA’S post-MEETINGS buyer survey showed NZ$157 million placed over the next five years following the two-day event in Wellington.

MEETINGS 2024 major partners are Air New Zealand, Tourism New Zealand Business Events, RotoruaNZ, Energy Events Centre Rotorua, EventsAIR, Peek Exhibition & Display, and Exhibition Hire.

 

 

 

Edited by: Peter Needham

 

 

 

 

 

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