New Zealand’s centres of attention

While international conferences have been on hold, New Zealand has been busy working on something new: three new, city-centre convention centres.

New Zealand International Convention Centre

Brought to you by Business Events – Tourism New Zealand

The new purpose-built venues in Christchurch, Wellington and Auckland will showcase the capability and increase the capacity of New Zealand to host exceptional business events.

Tourism NZ general manager domestic & business events Bjoern Spreitzer says: “This growth in business events infrastructure underlines both the importance of this industry to New Zealand’s economy, and recognises the networking and business benefits which international conferences and events will bring.”

The first new venue, Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre, will open its doors later this year.

Its name, ‘Te Pae’ draws inspiration from several phrases in New Zealand’s indigenous language, te reo Māori. Te Pae Maunga means our mountain views, and Te Pae Whenua means the vast plains we inhabit. These iconic elements of the region’s landscape are echoed in the building’s design, where shapes and lines represent the contours of the Southern Alps and braided rivers of Canterbury. Te Pae Tangata means a place to meet and converse, highlighting Te Pae Christchurch’s role as a gathering place for the city.

Managed by international venue management company ASM Global, Te Pae combines the manaakitanga (warm welcome), culture and knowledge of Christchurch with world-class infrastructure, technology, and connections.

Its 28,000m2 of flexible space includes: a 1,400-seat tiered auditorium, divisible into two 700-seat venues; a 1,000-seat banquet space overlooking the beautiful Avon River; plus extensive meeting space and expandable exhibition halls.

The venue will be built to a New Zealand Green Building Council (NZGBC) Green Star 5-star rating, representing New Zealand excellence for environmental sustainability.

Next in the pipeline is Tākina, the new Wellington Convention and Exhibition Centre, opening in 2023 in the middle of New Zealand’s capital city.

Tākina means ‘to invoke, to summon, to connect, to bring forth’ in te reo Māori. The building’s concept draws on the summoning of Wellington’s wind as a means of expressing the shift of knowledge, moving things forward, and carrying ideas. It will be a place of welcoming, thinking, learning, and sharing, with its sculptural exterior housing modern, light-filled, flexible event spaces.

Tākina can be customised to accommodate a plenary of up to 1,600 delegates, with two divisible plenary halls on separate levels which can be easily combined; plus a 1,800m2 exhibition hall with adjacent space to boost capacity; stand-alone meeting rooms; and fully integrated best-in-class AV and ICT systems.

It will also be built to achieve a 5-star certification in accordance to NZGBC’s guidelines.

Meanwhile, work continues on the New Zealand International Convention Centre (NZICC) in the heart of Auckland city, scheduled for completion in 2024.

This vertically stacked, modern building will be a hub of innovation and positive exchange. A glazed facade and adjacent laneways will provide delegates with a connection to the vibrancy of the city, while allowing views of Auckland’s natural beauty, from the Waitakere Ranges to the Waitematā Harbour.

Its flexible convention and event space can cater for up to 4,000 people across 32,500m2. The configurable spaces over 4 levels present opportunities for a wide range of events including theatre capacity for 2,850 and up to 33 meeting rooms.

The NZICC will operate as a carbon neutral venue, the only one of its kind in Asia-Pacific.

Spreitzer adds: “We look forward to welcoming international conference delegates back to New Zealand, with new venues and new opportunities for learning and collaboration.”

For more information on holding your next conference in New Zealand, head to: businessevents.newzealand.com

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