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Christchurch takes centre stage for business events.

Ōtautahi Christchurch will become the centre of New Zealand’s business events world this October. The city will host both the BEIA Conference 2026 and the second edition of The Bizzies awards.

The Business Events Industry Aotearoa conference will run at Christchurch Town Hall on 28 and 29 October. Delegates will first gather at the new One New Zealand Stadium for a welcome function on Tuesday, 27 October. The Bizzies gala dinner will follow at Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre on Wednesday night.

That gives Christchurch three major venues and one clear message: the rebuilt city is ready for serious business. It also knows that serious business usually works better with a good dinner and a well-timed round of applause.

Registrations are now open. The two-day programme will cover the economy, talent, leadership, overseas markets, regional growth and the sector’s future. It will also examine Christchurch’s own recovery and renewal.

BEIA Chief Executive Lisa Hopkins said firms should consider sending teams. That approach would let delegates attend more sessions and bring more useful ideas home. In her words, teams can “cover more sessions and absorb a broader range of insights”.

Economist Brad Olsen will lead an election-year economic outlook session. The timing is sharp. New Zealand’s general election will be held on 7 November, just over a week after the conference ends.

Hopkins said the programme “has been designed around the key issues shaping our sector”. She also thanked Christchurch Airport, Venues Ōtautahi, Te Pae Christchurch, Celebrity Speakers and ChristchurchNZ. Their support, she said, is “helping make this year’s conference experience even stronger.”

The Bizzies will honour excellence, fresh ideas and impact across the business events sector. The awards began in 2025. BEIA supports them, while an independent committee runs the programme.

The Bizzies 2025 Awards

Members can also trim the registration bill. Two or more delegates from the same organisation can receive a 10 per cent discount on conference fees. The supplied event announcement says Earlybird rates end on 20 September. Bizzies tickets are available on their own or with conference registration.

The official programme includes sessions on workforce skills, career growth and winning more overseas events. It will also ask how business events can bring more value to regional communities. A closing session will look at how Christchurch used hard times to drive investment, growth and change.

Delegates are encouraged to stay after the conference and sample the city’s visitor experiences. It is sound destination marketing. Finish the strategy session, loosen the lanyard and let Christchurch make its own closing argument.

With a new stadium, two established city venues and an election-season economic briefing, Christchurch is not merely hosting the conversation. It is placing itself firmly at the centre of it.