TRENZ, New Zealand tourism’s largest annual trade show, has wrapped up in Tāmaki Makaurau, Auckland – and now prepares to head south for next year’s edition.

Tourism Industry Aotearoa (TIA) Chief Executive Rebecca Ingram says this year’s TRENZ will be remembered for its innovation and the wonderful experience Auckland provided – in the spirit of Whakapiki and elevating New Zealand tourism on the world stage.

“TRENZ 2026 has seen 1200 delegates hold a massive 16,000 business meetings over 2.5 days; doing good business and driving tourism export growth for future years,” says Ingram.

“Auckland has been a stand-out host city this year. The weather has been exceptional, NZICC is a fantastic venue, and our key events partners at Tataki Auckland Unlimited, Tourism New Zealand, and Air New Zealand have helped make this a very special TRENZ.

“New innovations such as the International Media Marketplace have elevated this event to a new level. The event feedback from our buyers and sellers has been exceptional, and we’re already thinking about how we can continue growing TRENZ even more in the future.”

As TRENZ farewells Auckland, TIA is excited to announce that TRENZ will head to Ōtautahi Christchurch next year, with TRENZ 2027 to be hosted at Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre from 11-13 May 2027. This is the fourth time TRENZ has been held in Christchurch and the second at Te Pae.

“Tourism is thriving in this part of the country; Ōtautahi Christchurch is a modern, vibrant and exciting city and a top-shelf destination for international visitors.

“We saw between November 2025 and March 2026, 287,000 international visitors passed through Christchurch Airport as part of a bumper summer. That’s up 22 percent on last year, pumping an estimated $860 million into the South Island economy. And the region expects this level of tourism growth to continue into 2027 and beyond.

“Christchurch is a growing tourism force that has so much to offer visitors across the wider Canterbury region, so it’s fitting that TRENZ will be held there in 2027.”

Anne Newman, GM of Visitor Economy at ChristchurchNZ, says that Christchurch is thrilled to have been selected as the host city for TRENZ 2027.

“Building on the strong platform showcased in 2023, the city has continued to evolve, with new infrastructure, visitor experiences and accommodation enhancing the visitor offering.

“There’s a real buzz in Ōtautahi, and we’re looking forward to sharing that energy with the travel trade and our industry partners.”

 

Edited by Peter Needham at TRENZ 2026 in Tāmaki Makaurau, Auckland – (c) 2026.

Read Time: 2 minutes.

 

About the Author.

With more than 35 years in travel journalism, Peter Needham has filed stories from Fleet Street to Fiji, and just about everywhere in between. As Managing Editor (Australasia) for Global Travel Media, he shapes industry coverage with the steady hand of someone who’s seen fashions come and go and knows what lasts.

Since going freelance in 1993, his byline has appeared in the Sydney Morning Herald, the Australian Financial Review, Reader’s Digest, and Qantas’ in-flight magazines. He edited Inside Tourism for seven years, wrote the long-running Travel Tales column for Vacations & Travel, and even crafted copy for Tourism Australia ahead of the Sydney 2000 Olympics.

A Reuters, Guardian and AAP veteran, Peter has travelled widely from South American backpacking trails to a Saudi military hospital, gathering stories the old-fashioned way: by being there.

 

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