Queenstown continues to build a reputation as a destination for meetings, events and incentives. Many hotels in this beautiful part of New Zealand have been under construction or refurbished, and with attractive new conference facilities and updated accommodation, delegates will soon be arriving in their droves to enjoy the local renaissance.
Furthermore, business is expected to grow with the introduction of an additional weekly trans-Tasman Qantas flight to Queenstown from Sydney commencing later this year, which will make the journey for delegates much more convenient.
Located on New Zealand’s South Island, this gem offers visitors a wide range of attractions such as wineries, golf courses, bungy jumping, kayaking, canyoning as well as scenic flights. And depending on what time of the year you visit, this region in winter offers skiing in what is said to be the premier snow destination in the southern hemisphere. Alternatively, the warmer summer months, where dusk kicks in at 10pm, are jam packed with offerings such as popular festivals.
Renowned as the place for adrenalin junkies Queenstown is said to be the adventure capital of the world. However, this spot has much more to offer than extreme sports, with a selection of many distinctive venues on offer to facilitate that unique meeting or conference concept.
The Queenstown Convention Bureau offers a great first port-of-call for event planners looking at organising a function in this breathtaking part of the world. The bureau offers a free convention and incentive facilitation service. The team at the bureau have helpful resources and contacts for venues, activities, professional conference organisers and destination management services to make that dream event a reality.
This New Zealand gem is abundant in business event opportunities, and with continued construction of local hotels and resorts will reinforce its reputation as a hot meeting and incentive destination. Renovations are underway at many establishments including the Mercure Grand Hotel St Moritz and Novotel Gardens. Meanwhile, Heritage Hotels late last year revealed a new addition of 16 brand new luxury lakeside residences to their list of accommodation options.
St Moritz is one of the region’s signature hotels and prides itself on providing a first-class and professional meetings and events service. This hotel offers delegates two private meeting rooms – The Library and The Den which can cater for up to 90 theatre-style and 60 banquet-style.
The Den is said to be the premier events venue in Queenstown and offers delegates sensational lake and mountain views through its floor-to-ceiling windows. This space is able to cater for dinner receptions of up to 80 and meetings of up to 90. It promises to leave a long lasting impression on its guests.
The hotel is undergoing renovations and will now include an outdoor jacuzzi area and fully equipped gym. These new additions are said to enhance St Moritz’s already handsome offerings. However, some things will stay the same and iconic pieces such as the cow-hide furnishings in the lobby are set to remain.
Still at St Moritz, there have been more new developments, this time in the kitchen. The hotel has been inspired by the Accor initiative “Earth Guest”, which promotes sustainable development. The St Moritz team have taken on the principles of this concept by creating a fully sustainable gala dinner. The meals at this dinner are made using local organic and sustainable produce. The Earth Guest dinner is aimed at providing an impressive and open approach to the hot topic of environmental sustainability.
Another hotel in the region is under more development, with the Heritage announcing the building of a new conference centre. The construction is said to be progressing well and is running right on schedule to open in April. According to the general manager, Carey Norton, the views from the centre are already capturing the interests of professional conference organisers.
This two-storey conference centre, when completed, will be able to host up to 200 delegates theatre-style. The structure is being built on the lake side of the hotel and guests will be able to enjoy breathtaking views of Lake Wakatipu. Heritage’s conference centre is in addition to the already existing facilities at the hotel including 175 deluxe rooms, 36 villas, as well as a restaurant, bar, pools, sauna, gym, tennis court and beauty spa.
Heritage Hotels has also announced the new addition of the Esplanade Residences which include 16 luxury lakeside two-storey homes. These residences each have three spacious bedrooms, suitable for up to six guests, and are conveniently located just five minutes’ walk from town. Guests can also take advantage of the award-winning facilities at the Heritage Queenstown, such as the pools, sauna and spa, as well as restaurant and bar.
The Queenstown Novotel Gardens is also sporting a fresh look after the completion of last year’s $13 million-dollar refurbishment. This project has been underway for 16 months and began in 2006 with work on 20 new rooms above the Church Wing. Work then progressed to the Earl and Home wings as well as renovation of public areas, the bar and restaurant. This major project was undertaken by building company Rilean Construction and general manager Carl Braddock said he is delighted with the end result.
“This was the tightest timeframe I’ve ever had – eight months to do the first wing and six months to do the other two wings, so it’s a big pat on the back to all the subcontractors and a real milestone for us,” he said.
Most of the hotel has changed and refurbishments have resulted in a new lobby, gallery bar and meeting room. This is in combination with 69 brand new rooms, 204 refurbished rooms and a 66-seat extension to the restaurant.
Mr Braddock says the hotel is now the biggest in Queenstown and the biggest Accor hotel within New Zealand. These new facilities will make Queenstown an even more lucrative location for business events, locally and internationally.
With all this construction happening in Queenstown, it’s not hard to see that local architects are winning awards for their masterful designs. A Queenstown architectural company has recently been recognised for work at the town’s Crowne Plaza. The Southern Local Award, which recognises quality architecture at a community level, was won by Dalman Architecture for the design of the hotel’s recent upgrade.
Hotel general manager Brett Wilson said he was thrilled to see the hotel recognised as a leader in its field.
This was one in just a series of awards which saw the hotel named as a finalist at the Design Institute of New Zealand’s BeST awards in the Spatial Design Category, as well as being recognised for excellence in hospitality at the Queenstown Business Excellence Awards.
Late last year the Crowne Plaza played host to the Spring MICE famil visit, which showcased more than 30 local businesses.
Business development manager Julie Jolley said the team at Crowne Plaza are continually looking at creating innovative ways to profile conferencing services and the local businesses they associate with, and this was a perfect option.
The group were treated to a four-day famil which took participants on a journey around the Queenstown region, which showed off a rich mix of restaurants, wineries and cultural sites, as well as breathtaking sightseeing stops along the way.
Famil-goers were also surprised by an encounter with Scottish pipers as well as a traditional dressing of the haggis ceremony.
Lord of the Rings Tour
It’s not hard to see why Peter Jackson chose the Queenstown area as a backdrop for parts of his world-famous movie trilogy. With the snow capped mountains and mystical beech forests this area set the scene for J.R. Tolkien’s magical story. The Lord of the Rings Tour offers visitors a range of options including tours that explore up to 35 film sites. Visitors also have the option of staying at the Minaret Lodge which is the only Lord of the Rings themed accommodation in New Zealand and a must for any die-hard fan. More information check out www.lordoftheringstours.co.nz.
Queenstown Wine Tours
The Appellation Wine tours have been in operation for almost 10 years and provide guests with a personalised full or half-day tour from Queenstown. The tours promise superb scenery, gourmet food and fine wine. This activity would be perfect for a small group or even planned as an incentive trip. This is a great way to eat and drink your way around this beautiful region, with wine tasting as the perfect accompaniment.
For more information go to www.appellationcentral.co.nz.
AJ Hackett Bungy
Perched more than 100 metres above the Nevis River the bungy platform sets the scene for brave souls to face their fears. This legendary bungying experience begins with a 35 minute four-wheel-drive trip through the high country and then onto a cable car to the bungy pod. It’s here that it gets serious, because once you jump there is almost nine seconds of free-falling. It’s said to be a breathtaking ground rush like no other. This could be the perfect team-building exercise that will leave participants full of adrenalin and some with a new lease on life! For more information go to www.bungy.co.nz.
Day Spa
The Body Sanctum Day Spa is a serene retreat with views of Lake Wakatipu and offers massage, facials, manicures and pedicures, as well as Epsom salt tanks that promise an experience of total physical relaxation. The spa also has close ties with major Queenstown hotels and specialises in developing custom made programs for business event groups. A session at this spa would also be a great incentive or reward for those staff that might need some motivation or a pat on the back. The most popular treatments for delegates are the one-hour facial and one-hour massage. To book your relaxing treatments go to www.bodysanctum.co.nz.
Water Sports
A jet boat experience is like no other, and Queenstown’s Dart River Jet Boat Safari Tours offer a range of packages that will suit your next team-building trip. Your expert guide takes the group on a journey through the Mt Aspiring National Park wilderness, propelling along the river at high speed. The safari tours range from a 90-minute ride to ones that includes a stop-over picnic lunch among the ancient beech forest. These tours have everything - from an adrenalin pumping journey along the Dart River, through to the tranquility of the dense national park. Go to www.dartriver.co.nz.
Rydges Lakeland Resort
Located on the shoreline of Lake Wakatipu, the Rydges Lakeland Resort would make the perfect destination for your next meeting. This resort has facilities that can cater for more than 400 delegates and has five conference rooms. These rooms can function as trade expos, break-out rooms, hospitality rooms or a conference office. Rydges Lakeland makes the most of the stunning lake views. Event planners can make the most of the facilities by choosing from options such as morning tea on the pool deck or a picnic lunch on the lake front. To book go to www.rydges.com.
Dux de Lux
This infamous restaurant is renowned for fine dining, live music and award winning beer. Dux de Lux , is Latin for “masters of the finest” and rings true at this restaurant from the menu, which includes Merino lamb shanks and seafood, to the beer list where you can taste pints that have been brewed in-house. This historic brew bar and restaurant is the perfect location to wind down after a conference or meeting. For a full beer list go to www.thedux.co.nz.
Blanket Bay
If you are craving a secluded retreat, the luxury lodge accommodation at Blanket Bay may be for you. Positioned at the northern end of Lake Wakatipu, this resort provides sumptuous views from grand alpine style lodges. Accommodation is divided into five lodge rooms, three generous lodge suites and four chalet suites, which are all decked out with luxurious furnishings and stylish rugs. All of these rooms are positioned to make the most of the captivating views. For more information go to www.blanketbay.com.
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