Australian event organisers were impressed with New Zealand’s recent efforts to entice association events across the Tasman, with a destination package that involves bigger venues, easier access and dollars and sense.

Seven Australian association event organisers were flown to the CINZ MEETINGS Trade show in Auckland in June with the support of Tourism New Zealand and Air New Zealand. They attended the show and participated in an AuSAE educational session as part of a programme targeting more trans-Tasman association business.

Tourism New Zealand International Business Events and Premium Manager Lisa Gardiner says: “We are aiming to win more Australian and Australasian association business. With larger convention centres coming to Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch in 2019, and increasing air access, New Zealand is becoming a very viable option for our Australian association neighbours. Add in the benefits of widening networks and more knowledge-sharing opportunities, and it is really starting to appeal.”

Benjamin Graham, Senior Manager at the Migration Institute of Australia, was on the trip to look at the possibility of holding an event with a sister organisation in New Zealand, and the potential of taking his organisation’s conference offshore.

“We’re an Australian-based company but 60 per cent of our membership is from the East Coast. Flying to our last national conference in Perth I thought ‘If it was an hour more I would be in Bali and an hour less I would be in New Zealand!’ I wanted to see what is possible and viable, and Auckland and Wellington in particular would be - particularly with the assistance Tourism New Zealand offers,” he said.

“I was surprised by the enthusiasm and the effort that the New Zealand government puts into getting Australian associations to come to New Zealand. Its Conference Assistance Programme (CAP) is more than just showing you around hotels, it goes right down to the nuts and bolts of being able to assist with cost scenarios and present a business case to your board; that stuff is phenomenal. I was super-impressed. I think most Australians know New Zealand has the venues and capability, but it is that extra level, that New Zealand goes the extra mile, that they would find pleasantly surprising.”

Ivone Johnson of ANZBMS (the Australian and New Zealand Bone and Mineral Society) added: “MEETINGS was beneficial in regards to finding out about venues, hotels and activities in all parts of New Zealand; in particular, the growth of venues in Auckland, Rotorua and Wellington. I have also taken away a new appreciation for Auckland as a business events destination. I was most impressed with the infrastructure, especially the yet-to-be-completed New Zealand International Convention Centre and the vast array of hotels in its vicinity. There is a diverse choice of activities and experiences for delegates to enjoy as part of the conference. Auckland would be an ideal destination due to its proximity to most of the Australian states and its increased flight access.”

Johnson was also impressed with the informative AuSAE education session, which discussed challenges and opportunities facing associations. “One speaker discussed the implications of an Australian association holding a conference in New Zealand in regards to GST. This was valuable to know for future New Zealand conferences our association might hold.”

Graham added that New Zealand also offered a point of difference to Australian destinations beyond new speakers and networking opportunities: “I also think the destinations really know their identity and come together with the business communities to sell that as a city. That cultural element really sets New Zealand apart. It is respected and involved in the day-to-day, which is really appealing to a multicultural organisation like ours. It is completely viable to bring a Maori cultural element into an Australian association conference. The core strength of having an event offshore is being able to incorporate that special, local, element that people adore - that becomes a memory for them.”

Tourism New Zealand's Gardiner added: “With CAP strategic funding and marketing support available to event organisers bringing more than 200 delegates across the Tasman, we're expecting even greater interest from the Australian association market as that awareness of New Zealand's attractions and benefits grows.”

For further information about Tourism New Zealand please visit www.businessevents.newzealand.com

The article was originally sourced from Tourism New Zealand.