Emerging from the disruption of the past several years, industry events have returned, offering not only professional development opportunities, but also proving to be an economic boost for the region where they are held.
The business events sector is enjoying a marked resurgence, following the easing of all COVID restrictions last year. Oscar Nathan, General Manager at Tourism Bay of Plenty, says business events require a lot of advance planning, which means the large uptick in these types of bookings has only become apparent this year. In the Bay of Plenty region, the Business Events Data Programme shows the number of participating business events doubled from 33 in Quarter Two 2022 to 66 in Quarter Two 2023. This indicates the strength of this type of tourism offering in the region.
We’re seeing a real rebound in the business events sector. Everyone is keen to bring their stakeholders or teams together, to connect or reconnect face-to-face. Demand is high and bookings for 2024 and 2025 are already being confirmed, Oscar says.
Tauranga’s proximity to the main centres, particularly Auckland, plays a part in making it an attractive option for industry events. “The feedback that we get from many conference and event organisers is that they are looking for more memorable conference locations, which we have in spades,” he adds. “Industry events attract manuhiri (visitors) from all over Aotearoa and the globe. They spend money—not just on the event they’re here for, but also on local businesses like accommodation, restaurants and cafés, retail, and recreational and tourism activities. That spending provides a direct economic boost to our region.”
This also expands employment opportunities across a myriad of businesses, both directly, such as hotel staff and tour guides, and indirectly, such as with suppliers for hotels and restaurants.
Delegates often extend their stay past the conference dates, tagging on extra time to explore the region. In Tauranga and the wider Bay of Plenty region, many conference venues are near important cultural sites, wellness activities, and other options that often appeal to conference attendees. Examples include fishing and diving tours, SUP boarding, attractive walking tracks, and foodie activities like truffle hunting.
Long-term, the popularity of the Tauranga region as a conference destination could lead to improvements in our infrastructure, for example better transport links, new hotels and amenities or upgrades to existing facilities. “Holding successful events provides the perfect opportunity to elevate our region,” Oscar says. “If visitors have a great time here, they’ll come back and bring their friends and whānau. We know word-of-mouth promotion is invaluable in attracting new visitors to the region.”
ILANZ: Bringing the in-house legal community to Tauranga
One event held this year was the In-house Lawyers Association of New Zealand (ILANZ) conference.
The conference was well-supported and attended by Chamber members, including Tauranga City Council, Cooney Lees Morgan, Tompkins Wake, James & Wells, and Zespri. Held at Bay Venue’s Mercury Baypark, there were several social functions over the two-day conference, including one held at Classic Flyers Aviation Museum.
The location of the annual conference is intentional, says Grant Pritchard, President of ILANZ, and the reason is two-fold. “First, as an in-house legal community it means that when you’re at the conference, you’re all in. You’re there learning, connecting, sharing and in a focused environment with your peers. Second, it’s recognising the impact a conference like ILANZ can have on the local economy and community. It just makes sense for us to go to different regions, spend time there, and support the local businesses.”
Tauranga was chosen for its size, accessibility, venues, and accommodation—plus it’s a beautiful location, says Grant. “Mercury BayPark was ideal for a conference of ILANZ’s size, and the Classic Flyers social event was a neat venue, surrounded by aviation history which gave attendees a chance to learn something new too.”
Industry events offer the opportunity to introduce key decision-makers to the best parts of a region, says Sam Fellows, General Counsel and Manager: Legal, Risk and Procurement for Tauranga City Council, and ILANZ conference attendee. “Hosting a successful event like this in our backyard meant attendees got to see what we already know—that this is a great place to live, not just for the climate and natural beauty, but also for the awesome business opportunities, great talent and proximity to exports and imports.” It also provides local businesses the opportunity to participate as presenters he says, for example local law firm Cooney Lees Morgan, who were brilliantly represented by Mary Hill and Tanya Waikato.
More industry events should be a part of Tauranga’s business landscape, says Sam.
All of us from Tauranga City Council and other local businesses were really proud to host the conference here. These types of events show that we are not a small coastal town, but the innovative, hardworking, and smart city we are, which can only lead to more investment, more clients, and more business opportunities.
As Tauranga is just a few hours from a huge proportion of Aotearoa’s population, it enables attendees to make the most of their time away and able to enjoy the great natural, cultural, and social attractions of the region, says Sam. “With the investments being made in our city centre and venues by multiple parties, holding events here is only going to become more and more attractive.”
