Auckland is New Zealand’s leading tourism destination. Located on a narrow peninsula in the top half of the North Island, the region offers unparalleled lifestyle opportunities.These include stunning beaches, superb sailing, islands scattered throughout the Hauraki Gulf, s
b-tropical rainforest, award-winning wineries and more than 40 scenic golf courses.
Auckland also boasts a fascinating heritage and a unique blend of Maori, Polynesian and European cultures.
All of these assets sit alongside world-class tourist attractions and are within 30 minutes of a cosmopolitan city with a breathtaking maritime setting. It is little wonder that Auckland is rated as one of the best cities in the world in which to live.
Auckland is the main entry point to New Zealand and is a direct overnight flight from the west coast of North America or destinations around the Pacific Rim such as Singapore, Hong Kong and Tokyo (10 to twelve-and-a-half hours), or a short three-hour flight from the eastern seaboard of Australia.
Auckland has excellent infrastructure to host conferences and incentives with major convention centres, off-site venues, luxury accommodation and boutique hotels centrally located. Incentive groups can find outstanding hotels and lodges and a myriad of activities, from world-class golf resorts and adventure activities to off-site venues offering a range of culture and entertainment.
Off-site venues and function facilities are numerous. Right in the middle of the Auckland Domain, with sweeping views over the harbour and Hauraki Gulf, sits the Auckland War Memorial Museum – home of New Zealand’s largest collection of Polynesian artefacts. Here you can host a formal dinner in the grand foyer or a progressive cocktail function among the displays, highlighted by a Maori cultural performance.
Other options include a seafaring theme at the National Maritime Museum, a sporting function in the Hall of Legends at Eden Park, the home of rugby in Auckland, or a cocktail party at the Auckland Art Gallery, home of the largest and most comprehensive collection of local art in New Zealand.
The Viaduct Harbour and Princes Wharf, focal points for seaside dining and partying, can be utlilised as a great dine-around option.The waters surrounding Auckland are an ideal setting for racing on board genuine America’s Cup yachts, enjoying a catered leisurely cruise or relaxing on a luxury launch finishing with a visit to the fascinating Maritime Museum on the waterfront.
Waiheke Island, just a 35-minute ferry ride from downtown, is a picturesque blend of farmland, forest, beaches, and olive groves. It’s also home to world-class wineries – some with function venues.
As New Zealand’s most cosmopolitan city, there are always new and exciting changes and an abundance of things to see and do. Coming up in 2007 Auckland will be home to the new downtown Vector Arena with a seating capacity for more than 12,000 people. The venue is designed to offer great depth and diversity from large-scale concerts and arena spectaculars to international sporting events, business events and conferences.
Also due for completion by mid-2007 is The Westin Auckland. The hotel will be a five-star 173-room luxury waterfront property which will feature 11,000 square feet of meeting space.
It makes good sense to follow the policy “try before you buy” and this adage rings true for those selecting a conference destination. Willing and able to assist you in this task are the dedicated local convention bureau teams found within the Regional Tourism Organisations (RTO) throughout New Zealand.
Introducing conference organisers to a destination often takes the form of a structured familiarisation/education program. These programs can vary from coordinated group famils where a broad range of venues and activities are packed into a short visit; to a tailor made, self-drive itinerary where your accommodation, site inspections and activities are organised on an individual basis.
Armed with the knowledge of the local infrastructure, a convention bureau offers a wonderful resource to the astute conference organiser who wishes to enhance the success of an event.
On the occasion when a specific conference is being planned, the convention bureau will host a specific site inspection visit. Providing an efficient service, the convention bureau will avoid dragging you unnecessarily from pillar to post, preferring to introduce suitable venues and service providers – happy to leave you with a fantastic impression of their region.
Occasionally, with the support of an airline, airfares are included in a famil program, however this is not always the case and you may need to organise your own airfares to visit the destination. As a result, it is always worthwhile to speak with the local convention bureaux before making any plans, and discuss what travel assistance may be available to you.
And if you have already booked the conference venue and planning is underway, it still pays to use the resources available from convention bureaux. Visit the website, obtain a copy of the local meeting planners’ guide or speak to them about available collateral and marketing support for your conference event.
New Zealand convention bureaux provide their services free of charge. As not-for-profit entities, they are funded through their regional tourism organisation, city councils and business tourism communities. For a full listing of New Zealand convention bureaux visit www.nzbureau.com.
Dunedin may conjure up images from some Dickens story because of its Victorian and Edwardian heritage buildings; they are after all the finest examples in the Southern Hemisphere. But there is so much more to Dunedin than beautiful buildings.
With a population of 123,000, which includes 25,000 students, Dunedin is a compact but vibrant city. With an eclectic mix of people, its population tapestry woven with academics, scientist, scholars, designers and artists, the city has an interesting central business area and visitors to the city can enjoy strolling the streets, exploring designer boutiques and galleries dotted amongst numerous cafés and restaurants, all within close proximity to their conference venue or hotel. For many years Dunedin has been known for its hospitality and nightlife and even in the 1970s when hotels supposedly closed at 11pm, Dunedin was described by visiting rugby teams as the best city in New Zealand to party the night away in. And it certainly hasn’t changed in that respect. The only thing that has changed since then is that closing times are now way past 11pm and Dunedin has many more bars and restaurants to choose from.
You might say delegates attending conferences in Dunedin are here to work but who can deny the important part that social time plays when so much information and knowledge is shared, and business contacts made, with the memory of a fantastic conference cemented in their minds forever. It is important to choose a conference destination with the right mix of venues, nightlife and activities and of course plenty of pre and post event activities to encourage delegates to attend.
The very popular Taieri Gorge heritage train can take up to 600 conference delegates on a journey departing from the Dunedin Railway Station. The station was recently voted one of the top 200 must see buildings in the world by the UK-based DK Eyewitness Travel Guide. While enjoying a cocktail function or a themed evening on the Taieri Gorge Train, or simply travelling to an organised conference dance in Middlemarch, the train will take delegates on a stunning journey through the hinterland. The train travels through areas not accessible by car, crossing wrought-iron viaducts and bridges. With sheer drops to the Taieri River below, the views are stunning and the train trip itself is one of the best in New Zealand.
Imagine your delegates attending a dinner at Larnach Castle set high on the hill above the Otago Peninsula, a dark winter’s evening with the castle lights blazing and the airy sound of a lone piper welcoming them into a beautiful ballroom built last century. The evening starts with the Scottish haggis ceremony; the haggis is piped in and the ceremony and evenings festivities begin.
Dunedin is also home to one of the most beautiful casinos in New Zealand, housed in a heritage building, complete with original gilt ceilings, making this a must see for visitors to the region. For small groups the Dunedin Casino can organise a “funny money” gambling night, offering loads of fun but no tears.
Otago University is one of New Zealand’s oldest and most prestigious, with 79 per cent of students coming from outside of Dunedin. Many alumni are now working in national and international positions and can’t wait for an excuse to get back to Dunedin and revisit some of their best years. A conference in Dunedin offers alumni this opportunity, making conferences in Dunedin a very popular choice.
Dunedin’s International Airport has just completed a $26 million redevelopment of it’s terminal facilities giving visitors to Dunedin a first class gateway to a city that offers so much.
ABOVE: Packed with antiques and fascinating stories, Larnach Castle is Dunedin’s favourite icon.
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