Business enquiries on hotel rooms and event spaces have spiked for top Wellington hotels as the city welcomed its first purpose-built convention centre on May 31.
Scott Hamilton, general manager and director of human resources New Zealand Wellington at InterContinental Hotels & Resorts, told TTGmice that Tākina Wellington Convention and Exhibition Centre’s opening is an “exciting” development for the destination.
“I’ve been here for 11 years and have been waiting for this (convention centre development) to happen. Having a convention centre is an absolutely brilliant move by the city,” he said, adding that major events going into Tākina are contributing to guestroom bookings, as well as venue take-ups for fringe activities.
Tākina usually “sends out feelers to surrounding hotels” whenever it is bidding for events in order to build accommodation supply for event attendees.
“We will look at contributing 40 to 60 guestrooms, where possible during that time, to be featured for the event that is being brought to the city,” Hamilton shared.
InterContinental Wellington has 236 rooms and boasts the “largest independent conference space apart from the fabulous Tākina”. As it is popular with large tour series groups that flock in nine months a year, the hotel’s ability to commit rooms to business events taking place in Tākina will likely fluctuate through the year.
“But when we are in the low season, we will definitely put in more rooms for events happening then,” he added.
Naumi Wellington has seen “a lot of interest” from event planners in the lead up to and after the opening of Tākina.
“We have our own conference facility that takes up to 250 people, so conferencing is a big part of what we do. Hence, we rely on big event spaces like Tākina, particularly over the quieter winter period, to bring in business. We get social functions and offshoot meetings from main events happening in Tākina,” said Rachael Findlay, head of sales, New Zealand & Australia, Naumi Hotels.
QT Wellington, which stands just a stone’s throw from Tākina, has benefitted from pre- and post-event functions, as well as breakout events from main meetings at the convention centre.
Chris Greening, the hotel’s general manager, said: “We have three gorgeous function spaces at the hotel, along with unique restaurants. When one of the trial events was held at Tākina in May, the group hosted drinks in our lobby bar. This week for MEETINGS 2023, our venues are being used by a number of evening parties.”
He noted that interest levels in Wellington have been “really high” since Tākina announced its opening date.
“Wellington is all ready to welcome more business events. It has all the right infrastructure in place,” he remarked.
Tākina has so far secured a number of business events, such as the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetrician and Gynaecologists Annual Scientific Meeting in 2024, and the Congress of the International Association of Sedimentologists in 2026 for 900 and 800 delegates respectively. But it is also designed with locals in mind, pointed out David Perks, general manager of Tākina Commercial Development.
“When the Wellington City Council received the idea of having a convention centre, it was clear about wanting a convention centre that would be accessible to Wellingtonians on a regular basis. So, the ground floor was all about providing good activated space for the public. There are three elements to make this up: the walkway that is open all the time unless (high security is needed when a head of state is onsite); a café that is getting a lot of good use, including on weekends; and the public exhibition space where the Jurassic World by Brickman exhibition is on at the moment,” Perks elaborated.
Tākina’s provision of space for public events has positive impacts on InterContinental Wellington too, with Hamilton noting that the ongoing Jurassic World by Brickman showcase has brought in many guests who have journeyed to town just for the attraction.
