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Research released recently at the newly opened New Zealand International Convention Centre (NZICC) shows multi-day conferences are doing far more than hosting meetings — they are driving high-value tourism, extending visitor stays, and delivering major economic returns.
The 12-month national study, produced by Fresh Info in conjunction with Business Events Industry Aotearoa (BEIA), found the sector contributed $925 million to New Zealand’s economy and productivity in 2025, despite a softer year shaped by global uncertainty and domestic economic pressures.
Multi-day conferences generated around 1.50 million visitor nights nationwide, with total expenditure made up of $412 million in delegate spending (excluding registration fees), $433 million in event-related expenditure including registration, sponsorship and exhibitor income, and $80 million in companion spending.
International delegates proved particularly valuable, spending an average of $645 per day while attending conferences — higher than traditional holiday visitors. Overall spend per delegate reached $999 for host region delegates, $2,118 for domestic delegates, and $3,726 for international delegates.
When asked whether BEIA tracks how many conference visitors later return as holiday tourists, BEIA chief executive Lisa Hopkins says, “Oh wouldn’t that be nice, but no, no we don’t. That would be a very extensive bit of research.”
She says the idea has been discussed. “I mean yes, it’s certainly a question that would be in the nice to have. It’s just honestly, it really is just a matter of whether we’d be able to either A, get the question included in the International Visitor Survey, and or B, get the support to run such a programme that couldn’t be included in the International Visitor Survey.”
However, the data already points in a clear direction. When asked whether business events help convert first-time visitors into repeat leisure travellers, she says, “Absolutely, I mean the data certainly showed it.”
She says delegates frequently extend their stay beyond the conference itself. “Certainly, the data suggests that when people did come here that they took advantage of the fact of being in the country to extent. And you know and anecdotally we know for example that when we had the Jehovah’s Witness conference earlier in January that came into Auckland, we do know that for many of the international visitors, you know some of them their average day was seven nights and even more than that some of them spent a month travelling around New Zealand.”
She says the sector often describes this transformation simply. “So, there was certainly, you know she certainly told us that extended stay, that visitation piece, so we talk about it anecdotally or colloquially. You know you arrive as a delegate, and you leave as a tourist. The data supports that strongly.”
Average stay data reinforces the trend. “One of the pieces of the data has talked about the fact that the average night stay in New Zealand for international visitors is 8.03 nights. Now if you think about a conference generally runs for three of those nights, then they’re clearly going somewhere.”
The research also highlights the importance of encouraging delegates to stay longer and explore beyond the conference venue.
When asked what regions and tourism operators could do better, Lisa says, “I think that there’s a couple of things that could happen… Making sure that those people understand the opportunities and the options that are available to delegates.”
She says the goal is to strengthen both professional and destination appeal. “So, what you’re doing is you’re creating a very strong argument to not only attend the conference because the content of the conference is viable to that individual but you’re also extending that reach by saying come to the conference and do what you need to at the conference but stay on and experience this extraordinary country.”
Delegates also have a practical advantage. “Absolutely and also, I think you know that the conference visitor has a slight advantage over tourists because a lot of their travel costs may be covered by the organisation that they work for or represent… and so then to be able to leverage that and extend a stay without having to pay for additional airfares.”
She adds that companion travel strengthens the economic impact, saying, “The companion business or companion opportunity is also very strong.”
With New Zealand’s national network of convention centres — NZICC in Auckland, Tākina in Wellington, and Te Pae in Christchurch — now complete, the country’s ability to attract and scale international events has strengthened significantly.
When asked whether conferences are becoming one of New Zealand’s most effective ways to convert visitors into tourists, Lisa says, “Absolutely, they’re almost like a captured audience.”
She says the opportunity lies in delivering both business and destination value. “So, we’ve got them here, let’s make sure that their experience of New Zealand is not only as a place that can deliver an exceptional experience at a business level… but then giving them the opportunity to leverage that stay by experiencing New Zealand as a visitor, it’s a symbiotic relationship.”
