Combine its wonderful offsite attractions with a plethora of meeting venues and Wellington really is a great place for conventions, incentives and special events.
According to the Wellington Convention Bureau and those who utilise New Zealand’s capital regularly, one of its best features is its so-called “walkability”. Central Wellington is only two kilometres in diameter meaning you can walk from one side to the other in under 30 minutes!
Hotels and meeting venues are just a short stroll from shops, cafés, bars, restaurants, art galleries and theatres. No wonder conference logistics is a breeze in Wellington. Who needs bus transfers when a pleasant walk is a better option?
Away from the conference rooms, delegates can spend time discovering Wellington’s creative edge. The city bustles with museums, art galleries, theatre, dance, music and more. The city is home to the stunning Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, the country’s premier museum that is wall-to-wall features and attractions.
As is stated in its charter, Te Papa provides museum services that contribute to the New Zealand government’s outcome of preserving and presenting the taonga (treasures) of its people, interpreting the heritage of New Zealand for national and international audiences, and helping establish New Zealand’s place in the world through contextualising New Zealand heritage within the heritage of other cultures.
Its large, spacious interior is not only a great place for conference groups to spend time in-between meetings, but is fast becoming one of the country’s most attractive off-site venues for special events.
ABOVE: Te Papa from Wellington Harbour, Wellington. Image courtesy of WellingtonNZ.com.
It is typical of the offerings available in Wellington. The city’s meetings facilities cater to all occasions – from large seated conference venues through to boutique boardrooms. Beside Te Papa, the other large-scale venue is the impressive Wellington Convention Centre. The convention centre offers 22 meeting spaces, and comprises the Michael Fowler Centre, Wellington Town Hall, TSB Bank Arena and Civic Square.
A range of venues and accommodation options make up Wellington’s complete conference offering. There are numerous venues to choose from, but if you want something different, the collaborative Wellington industry will work it out for you.
Earlier this year the city successfully hosted one of the country’s largest conferences, the 7th International Diabetes Federation Western Pacific Region Congress.
Approximately 2000 people participated in the event, which saw the city’s venues, accommodation and service providers working together to ensure the event’s success.
Beating Hong Kong for the right to host the meeting, Wellington certainly didn’t disappoint. The multi-day congress was opened with a welcome ceremony and cocktails for 900 delegates in the Wellington Town Hall followed by plenary sessions and concurrent meetings over the next four days.
Because of the subject matter of the conference nutrition was extremely important to delegates and organisers. To this end, the venue’s chefs worked alongside nutritionists to design healthy, yet tasty meals that fit a balanced dietary criteria. Taking this one step further, the Wellington Convention Centre launched its environmentally friendly lunch bags where not only the food but most of the packaging could be composted.
Every available piece of space was utilised for the conference, and the centre created additional space by erecting a 1495 square metre marquee on the carpark adjacent to the venue to house sponsor displays.
Chair of the 7th IDF Congress organising committee, Russell Finnerty, said the Wellington Convention Centre staff performed at an exemplary level, “providing typical “can do” solutions to every challenge presented, making all delegates feel welcome and transforming the many rooms of the complex to meet specific requirements on an hour by hour basis.”
“No venue is perfect but it is the willingness of staff to work with the client to find solutions that makes for a successful congress,” he said.
“In this area the Wellington Convention Centre and its staff were faultless.”
In addition to traditional conference venues, many of Wellington’s business meetings take place in altogether different venues – the city’s cafés. Coffee is big business in the city, with many cafés roasting their own beans on-site.
After a coffee break, and in-between meetings, delegates are advised to hit the shops, with Wellington a real shopper’s paradise. Then, after a spot of retail therapy, why not take time out and enjoy the local scenery. Wellington’s crowning glory is its waterfront, which offers adventure activity, leisure experiences and awe-inspiring views.
Sampling fine cuisine is another popular activity. Visitors can dine alfresco on the harbourside and watch the world go by, or merge with the locals in a quirky café.
After a busy day in the capital, good accommodation is a must. Wellington offers a wide range and high standard of accommodation, including three to five-star hotels, boutique hotels, serviced apartments, motels and stylish backpackers.
 When expansion to Rotorua’s runway is completed in the first quarter of 2009 the destination’s airport will be able to accommodate Airbus A320s, potentially meaning more visitors and plenty more conference business.
Already the powers that be are in negotiations across the ditch, hoping to bring in trans-Tasman services as early as May 2009. This will alleviate the need for Australian travellers connecting to Rotorua via Auckland or even Hamilton Airport.
While Rotorua has seen good business from Australia in recent times, access is an issue. Anecdotal evidence says that Australian convention and incentive planners are looking forward to direct flights to Rotorua in 2009 to reduce the time their delegates spend travelling. Indeed, this is especially important with current figures that show the length of conventions and especially incentive-style business has reduced considerably in recent years.
Conferences that were once five or six days in length have been shortened to three or four, meaning that if travel can be limited to a half day or less the result is considerably better for the group, the event planner, and perhaps more importantly, the destination as a whole. Our advice: watch this space for more updates for the rest of 2008 and in early 2009.
ABOVE RIGHT: Conferencing, Energy Events Centre. Photo courtesy of DRTM.
Just a ferry or plane ride from Wellington over the Cook Strait, Marlborough is New Zealand’s largest winemaking region, and offers plenty for visitors.
Located at the north-east corner of New Zealand’s South Island, Marlborough is endowed with breathtaking beauty. Stretching from the scenic Marlborough Sounds to the rugged splendour of Kaikoura, it is a destination waiting to be discovered.
Visitors can choose from a wide range of recreational activities including swimming with dolphins in the Marlborough Sounds, watching whales in Kaikoura, or just relaxing at Marlborough’s world-class wineries. The region has approximately 65 wineries and 290 grape growers, and is recognised internationally for its distinctive sauvignon blanc.
But according to those in the know, Marlborough wine is much more than sauvignon blanc. Within the region visitors will discover varieties including riesling, gewürztraminer, and pinot gris.Visitors to Marlborough can tour wineries at their leisure or leave it all to the experts for specialised group tours.
The Wine Marlborough Festival – February 2009 - is New Zealand’s premier wine and food event and is a great time to visit. Guests at this time can experience the highly acclaimed wines of the region, indulge in the culinary delights of renowned New Zealand chefs, and be entertained with a stunning line-up of some of New Zealand’s leading performers.
For those who enjoy time spent on the water there are plenty of great options.
The Marlborough Sounds is often described as a “coastal wonderland”, with winding waterways, sheltered bays, and ancient untouched forests. Visitors can cruise, kayak, waterski, swim, fish, or sail the bays at their leisure or as part of a group.
The Queen Charlotte Sound is popular for fishing expeditions, with this pursuit serviced by a number of experienced local companies.
Visitors with a penchant for keeping their feet on dry land also have plenty of options including visits to formal gardens or hiking through native bushland. Stretching between the Queen Charlotte and Keneperu Sound is the Queen Charlotte Track - a 71 kilometre trail renowned for its stunning views and contrasting landscape, historical landmarks, and wonderful variety of native bush and wildlife.
If it’s fine cuisine you’re after, Marlborough won’t disappoint. Spoiled for choice, restaurants have an abundance of local fare to include in their menus, complemented by any number of the fine wines that are produced from the vineyards that abound in the region’s valleys.
But it doesn’t all have to be play on your Marlborough experience. Marlborough’s regional centre, Blenheim, is now home to the stunning Marlborough Convention Centre, a purpose-built facility that offers a high standard of design and up-to-date technology.
The Marlborough Convention Centre provides facilities for up to 750 people theatre-style plus plenty of space for smaller meetings. In addition, there is an exhibition hall right next door to the convention hall within the complex.
A large kitchen provides convenient facilities for catering for up to 400 banquet-style for gala dinners, or more relaxed cocktail functions.
Scenic Circle Hotels, through its subsidiary Scenic Circle Convention Services, has been enlisted to manage the centre and drive business into the region.
Situated on the banks of the Taylor River this diverse venue can be opened up to become one larger pillarless space perfect for exhibitions, or transformed into more intimate areas by ceiling mounted, acoustically-rated wall partitions. With all rooms fitted with Seabus Control Systems and wireless broadband throughout, management of the audio, visual and ambient aspects for individualised events become effortless.
Catering for events such as banquets, gala dinners or cocktail functions is made easy with spacious kitchen facilities with modern equipment conveniently located on-site at ground level. Alternatively, local award-winning wineries can also provide unique dining experiences for visitors.
Within walking distance of the centre are three of the main hotels in Blenheim for delegate accommodation: the Scenic Circle Blenheim Country Hotel, Copthorne Hotel Marlborough, and the Chateau Marlborough. Plans are already underway at the Scenic Circle Blenheim Country Hotel and the Chateau Marlborough to expand and upgrade hotel facilities in anticipation of the increased visitor numbers the centre is going to bring.
For further details on this property telephone +64 3579 5047 or visit www.marlboroughconventions.co.nz for more information.
To find more about meetings and tourism in the Marlborough region of New Zealand visit www.destinationmarlborough.com.
ABOVE: Kayak Camp Marlborough Sounds, Marlborough. Photo courtesy of Graham Charles. Tourism New Zealand.
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