Next week’s Asia-Pacific Incentives and Meetings Event in Melbourne comes at the start of a landmark decade for New Zealand’s business events industry.
Conventions and Incentives New Zealand chief executive Lisa Hopkins, who will be meeting delegates at AIME next week, says 2020 will be a pivotal year for New Zealand as new world-class facilities come online starting with Te Pae Christchurch in October.
”We are launching into an exciting decade of growth, with state-of-the-art infrastructure enabling us to host large-scale events across the country. At AIME, we will be showcasing our leading venues, including three new convention centres in our main cities, and an extensive range of international hotels,” she says.
“New Zealand is an incentive planner’s paradise with our ability to host distinctive, large scale events through to boutique, high-end, high-touch experiences. Coupled with our global connectivity, first-class infrastructure and manaakitanga (warm welcome), we can’t wait to meet with buyers at AIME to share our stories and places," she says.
New Zealand has been a big supporter of AIME since the show’s inception. From February 17-19, the 100% Pure New Zealand stand will boast a team of 28 industry experts from 11 key organisations, led by Conventions and Incentives New Zealand and Tourism New Zealand.
Auckland Convention Bureau, the New Zealand International Convention Centre, and Te Pae Christchurch are all amplifying their space this year to reflect overwhelming international interest. They are supported by 100% Pure New Zealand stand partners ChristchurchNZ, Business Events Wellington, Auckland Conventions Venues and Events, The Cordis Auckland, Millennium Hotels and Sudima.
“We are excited to be welcoming WellingtonNZ back to AIME, ready to attract larger scale conferences to the city, as construction ramps up on the Wellington Conference and Exhibition Centre (WCEC) due for completion by the end of 2022,” Lisa says.
The WCEC will have seating capacity for up to 1400 delegates in its main plenary space, which can also be configured to accommodate two medium-sized conferences concurrently across the two levels.
Tourism New Zealand and partners will host a networking breakfast for 145 select hosted buyers from across the globe on day one of AIME. Attendees will be inspired with ideas on how to make events more sustainable and learn what New Zealand is doing to create better business events.
Founder of ‘For The Better Good’, Jayden Klinac will lead a sustainability focus at the Hosted Buyer Breakfast, providing guests with inspiration on how businesses can operate harmoniously with nature. The Kiwi company is tackling waste by taking a regenerative approach to traditional plastic products, packaging and the systems they live within. To start AIME, the nutritious breakfast is designed by Kiwi celebrity chef Justin North and will feature local sustainable produce.
The manaakitanga will continue with Cloudy Bay wines being served to delegates visiting the 100% Pure New Zealand stand on both afternoons of the event.
Visitors will also be invited to apply for hosted buyer spots at CINZ MEETINGS 2020 in Auckland this April, and they can pick up the newly-released 2020 CINZ New Zealand Event Planners’ Guide on stand.
