More than 200,000 event attendees across 458 events have left their mark at Te Pae Christchurch since the convention centre hosted its first conference on May 2, 2022 – far exceeding expectations for its initial operating period.
The 458 events included 146 multi-day conferences, 19 exhibitions, 131 banquets, 157 meetings and five live performances.
As the centre kicks off its third year this month, it shows off a packed events calendar for a period that is traditionally a quieter month for local tourism.
The centre will host back-to-back conferences, including the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons Annual Scientific Congress 2024, Institute of Directors 2024 NZ Conference, and MotorSport NZ Conference 2024. In addition to the five international and 10 national conferences, concerts and events booked for May, the programme of local events ranges from school balls to information evenings. Over 8,200 attendees are expected over the course of the month, including 2,650 attending from overseas and 3,135 from around New Zealand.
The impressive economic and broader benefits for the city and the region are the reason the New Zealand Government invested in Te Pae Christchurch as part of the Central Christchurch Recovery Plan, according to John O’Hagan, the chief executive of Rau Paenga Limited, the Crown infrastructure delivery agency that built and owns the facility.
“We are delighted with the number and quality of events that our operator ASM Global has been able to attract in the first two years,” said O’Hagan.
Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre’s general manager, Ross Steele, said the first two years of operation have been an outstanding success for the venue.
Steele noted that activities held at the venue over the two years created an opportunity for locals to participate in world-class events, share knowledge with industry leaders, and promote their products and services to a national and international market.
He added: “The direct economic impacts of business events…have been well researched. What are perhaps less well recognised are the broader impacts of a successful business events infrastructure for our community. Whether it’s the opportunity to learn from the best in your field or network with industry leaders, or the chance for local businesses to demonstrate their capabilities in front of a huge audience, the wider impacts of a successful convention programme are incalculable.”
