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WiT Queenstown will expand to a two-day event July 2026, showing growing momentum behind Queenstown’s push to position itself as a hub for travel technology and innovation.
The inaugural New Zealand edition of Asia Pacific’s leading travel tech media and events platform will now run July 20–21 2026, following strong demand from both domestic and international audiences. The event will also relocate to a larger venue, the Queenstown Memorial Centre, in the heart of the CBD.
Roger Sharp, chair of Technology Queenstown, said interest in the event had exceeded expectations, prompting organisers to extend the programme and increase capacity.
“There is a real appetite to bring world-class travel tech thinking to Queenstown and to take meaningful steps towards diversifying the Queenstown Lakes District economy, where tourism and hospitality currently account for more than 50 percent of GDP,” Sharp said.
Technology Queenstown chief executive Officer Sarah Russell says extending WiT Queenstown to two days allows the programme to go deeper and broader, particularly across the travel tech ecosystem.
She says the expanded format enables more detailed exploration of topics such as travel technology innovation, future-facing industry challenges, and the growing intersection between technology and tourism. Beyond attendance numbers, Sarah says the move strengthens opportunities for local travel tech businesses to showcase their capabilities internationally, while also bringing global expertise and investors into the region.
“Extending the event enhances the chance to connect local companies with global networks, learning opportunities and potential sources of capital,” she said, noting that travel tech investors are expected to attend.” she says
Technology Queenstown views the event as part of a longer-term strategy to diversify the local economy by building high-income tech employment pathways and raising Queenstown’s profile beyond tourism.
“Queenstown is internationally recognised as the world’s adventure capital,” says Sarah. “This is the very beginning of a process to make it known for something else as well — tech innovation and problem-solving within the travel sector.”
The event is designed to bring together global travel tech leaders, startups, local businesses and tourism operators, with a programme spanning aviation, hospitality, marketing, digital distribution, payments and social commerce. The two-day format also allows more time for cross-sector networking and knowledge sharing, helping participants gain a more holistic view of where travel tech is heading over the next two decades.
WiT founder Yeoh Siew Hoon says the expanded programme creates space for deeper, more relevant content and helps foster a travel tech community that connects Australasia with the global market.
An A-list speaker lineup featuring senior leaders from Asia, Australasia and beyond has already been confirmed, with sessions covering AI across the travel value chain, short-term rentals, experiences, community-led tourism, aviation and airports, and hospitality.
The programme will also spotlight startups and founders, including a “Founder’s Journey” series featuring entrepreneurs who have scaled globally or exited successfully.
