New Zealand’s business tourism industry is holding its biggest ever trade show in Auckland this week, with record numbers of buyers and exhibitors in attendance at Meetings 2013.
Organised by Conventions and Incentives New Zealand (CINZ), Meetings is being held at Auckland’s SkyCity Convention Centre today (June 26) and tomorrow (June 27) and is seeing 180 exhibitors from New Zealand’s business tourism industry promoting their products and services to more than 400 day buyers and 185 hosted buyers.
The buyers are professional business event organisers and decision makers who represent influential companies and associations from throughout New Zealand, Australia, China, Malaysia, Singapore, and India.
“Meetings is a chance for them to see under one-roof just how much New Zealand has to offer as a conference and incentive travel destination and as such is a very powerful marketing tool,” said CINZ Chief Executive, Alan Trotter.
“Every year millions of dollars worth of new business leads are generated as a result of the connections that are made at Meetings and I’m sure that will be the case again this year.”
The Chinese and South-East Asian buyers are attending Meetings with the assistance of Tourism New Zealand and Air New Zealand. During Meetings they will get to sample New Zealand’s world-class hospitality first-hand and will be introduced to the diversity of New Zealand’s offerings through a series of briefings by the country’s regional convention bureaux.
“If we want to compete on the international stage we have to show these buyers that not only do we have stand-out destinations but that we also offer great value for money,” Trotter said. “Meetings give us an opportunity to do just that.”
The two-day exhibition opened with a special welcome function for 600 guests at Auckland’s Museum of Transport and Technology (MOTAT) last night, while a similar number is also expected at the farewell dinner at Shed 10 on Auckland’s waterfront.
“These two social events will allow us to showcase some of the unique venues and event suppliers we have in Auckland, and will also provide a great opportunity for people attending Meetings to get to know each other in a relaxed social setting,” said Meetings’ Event Manager, Jeanette Stanton.
“The connections made at these social functions often lead to business connections so the social program is a very important part of Meetings.”
During the two days of Meetings, the SkyCity Convention Centre will be operating at full capacity.