New Zealand’s Queenstown has won a bid to host the 9th annual International Adventure Conference, which will bring leading tourism researchers to the Southern Hemisphere for the first time in December 2020.
The win is the result of a successful collaboration with Queenstown Convention Bureau and Tourism New Zealand Business Events, and was presented by Susan Houge Mackenzie on behalf of her team from the University of Otago, Queenstown Resort College, and the Otago Polytechnic Institute of Sport and Adventure.
“Queenstown’s global reputation as an adventure tourism hub made it a stand-out choice for the Adventure Tourism Research Association (ATRA),” Houge said.
She added that the conference will focus on bringing academics and practitioners together to share their challenges and innovations, foster connections, and identify synergies. It will also have a strong emphasis on sustainable development goals and how adventure tourism can support and work to meet these at both an international and local level.
“Our aim is to ensure symbiotic benefits for the local community and international delegates. We hope local practitioners and policy makers will benefit from international perspectives and expertise, and our international delegates in turn want to learn about Queenstown’s unique approaches to adventure tourism,” she added.
Queenstown Convention Bureau business development Director, Kiran Nambiar, said the event was “significant” and a “great win for the region and its business events industry”, and will go beyond the economic value of hosting high-value visitors to the region.
“It also fosters and grows the expertise and knowledge within our community and allows us to share insights with our international peers,” said Nambiar.
