New Zealand
EXPANDING HORIZONS: INTERNATIONAL EVENTS FLOURISH ACROSS NEW ZEALAND’ S REGIONS
Beyond Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch, regional destinations are also winning events business, with cities like Dunedin and Hamilton securing conferences thanks to strong knowledge hubs and unique experiential learning opportunities.
“ People often think of conferences as things that happen solely within the four walls of a convention centre,” Tourism New Zealand Global Manager Business Events Penelope Ryan says.“ The magic of events in New Zealand comes with unparalleled opportunities for real world experiences and learning to bring the conference to life.”
As such, Hawke’ s Bay, New Zealand, will host the Great Wine Capitals Conference and AGM in October 2026, showcasing its preeminent wine tourism experience.
“ New Zealand is gaining a strong reputation as a host of premium wine industry events,” Ryan says.“ The ability to blend world-class wine expertise and experiences amidst beautiful surroundings is extremely appealing to both event organisers and delegates.”
Marlborough- home of world-famous Sauvignon Blanc and the beautiful winding coastline of the Marlborough Sounds- is set to host 400 delegates at the Sauvignon Blanc New Zealand Conference in February 2027.
At the top of the North Island, maritime mecca the Bay of Islands will host GeoHab 2027, the international conference for Marine Geological and Biological Habitat Mapping. Taking place in Paihia, it will
welcome around 200 scientists, industry and technical experts working in marine mapping to support sustainable ocean management and planning.
The conference bid was led by Dr Sally Watson, marine geophysicist at Earth Sciences New Zealand and the University of Auckland. She says:“ It makes sense to host an international conference focusing on the marine zone here, right on the doorstep of the Bay of Islands.” Beyond the education sessions, Watson plans opportunities to explore the region, which is renowned for its boating, diving, and fishing.“ The Bay of
Islands is home to so much of New Zealand that is epic, getting out on the water, the location of the signing of our founding document at Waitangi Treaty Grounds, the kauri forests, and cultural activities. We want to give people a taste of our special features.”
As one of the major cultural centres of Aotearoa, Rotorua is a fitting host for the World Indigenous Cancer Conference( WICC) 2026. The successful bid was led by Hei Āhuru Mōwai Māori Cancer Leadership Aotearoa, with support from Tourism New Zealand Business Events and RotoruaNZ.
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