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Hospitality industry leaders and government representatives gathered at Parliament last week for the 2026 Hospitality Summit, aimed at identifying solutions to strengthen the sector.
The summit, hosted by tourism and hospitality minister Louise Upston in partnership with Hospitality New Zealand and the Restaurant Association of New Zealand, was held at Parliament in Wellington on Thursday, March 12, 2026.
More than 70 industry stakeholders and government officials attended.
The event was the second hospitality summit, following the inaugural gathering in December 2024, which established a framework for collaboration between government and the sector.
Discussions focused on reviewing recommendations from the first summit, refining priorities and identifying new areas where improvements are needed.
Key topics raised by industry representatives included licensing and compliance, access to hospitality data, and employment issues.
Upston acknowledged the contribution of hospitality businesses and industry organisations.
“The hospitality industry is vital to New Zealand and brings significant vibrancy and value to our communities.
“While distinct from tourism, hospitality also plays a key role in how visitors experience our cities and towns. Hospitality plays a crucial role in our economy and employment with 193,000 people directly employed across New Zealand.”
Upston says the summit provided an opportunity to work collaboratively on future priorities for the sector.
“It was a pleasure to host the industry at Parliament and make meaningful strides to set hospitality up for success into the future. It is encouraging to see the industry working together in such a collaborative way and I look forward to receiving the final recommendations report.”
Hospitality New Zealand chief executive Kristy Phillips says the summit provides an important forum for industry and government to address sector challenges.
“The summit provides a platform for open dialogue between government officials and industry stakeholders to address challenges our sector is facing and discuss ways change can be made so hospitality can thrive, not just now but in generations to come,” Kristy says.
Restaurant Association general manager Nicola Waldren says collaboration across the sector is critical.
“Working collaboratively with government and Hospitality NZ to address the critical challenges facing our sector is crucial to its success,” Nicola says.
“It’s excellent to have everyone in the room together, finding ways to build momentum and create meaningful impact for the hospitality industry.”
A recommendations report reflecting discussions at the summit is expected to be released in the coming months.
