More than 60 Australian business event organisers are set to arrive in Auckland on June 1 for Business Events Industry Aotearoa’s two-day showcase MEETINGS 2021.
BEIA chief executive, Lisa Hopkins says the border opening last month provided much-needed international confidence for planners and organisers, and it is now driving future business opportunities.
“This is an extraordinary achievement for New Zealand. A significant business event featuring international buyers in a face-to-face environment. It is a reflection of the way New Zealand has managed COVID, and BEIA is excited to help facilitate this vital connection with Australian buyers looking to bring business to our shores.
“There is strong confidence in New Zealand’s procedures and protocols and this has filtered through to how we deliver business events. Our objective is to ensure the health and well-being of all our visitors stays top of mind while ensuring an excellent experience throughout the stay,” she says.
“MEETINGS is a significant milestone for the business events industry, two years since our last event.
"2021 is the 25th anniversary of MEETINGS which has become a key driver of business bookings for the conference, incentives and meetings sector.
"As well as 60 hosted buyers and industry media from around Australia, 110 domestic event planners from across New Zealand will also join MEETINGS’ pre-scheduled appointment programme with 145 exhibitors from 18 regions at ASB Showgrounds.
“Day buyers, who can attend without appointments in place, will also be very welcome.”
Australian buyer, Sharon Livingston from The Travel Authority says New Zealand is going to be a critical destination for 2021 and 2022.
“Attending MEETINGS to update on the product and opportunities will be beneficial to sell and market New Zealand to our clients,” she says.
Before and after MEETINGS, hosted buyers from Australia and New Zealand can also choose to join one of five different regional familiarisation tours to Auckland, Rotorua, Wellington, Christchurch and Queenstown.
“Our Australian hosted buyers are telling us they want to find out what’s new, refresh their knowledge and have a better understanding of our venues and unique destinations,” Lisa says.
"Our main centres have exciting infrastructure projects and new venues, while our smaller, boutique regions are enticing for Australians looking for one of a kind, bespoke experiences and new ideas."
