New Zealand will hold its first business events awards in 2025, in conjunction with the Business Events Industry Aotearoa (BEIA) Conference.
This move aims to celebrate industry leaders, showcase the value of events, and elevate the sector’s profile as a whole. Open to everyone involved in the business events sector, the awards will be managed by an independent industry committee and trust, with profits from the event being reinvested back into the business events community.
“The first of the National Business Events Awards will take place in Auckland in (late) 2025 and will mark the beginning of a new tradition celebrating the best of our business sector,” Megan Crum, head of business events at ChristchurchNZ, shared with the media during a press conference this morning at Meetings 2024 in Rotorua.
Crum added that the awards – which sit under the BEIA framework – will be held once every two years and coincide with the BEIA Conference, which will be held in “one of New Zealand’s metro cities” to encourage participation.
“In a non-awards year, the conference will be held in a regional city to continue BEIA’s commitment to hosting conference in our incredible regional destinations,” Lisa Hopkins, CEO of Business Events Industry Aotearoa (BEIA), said.
She added that the time to hold an awards is “right”, in conjunction with the launch of BEIA’s 10-year strategic direction – Pīata Mai to celebrate individuals and the work that has been achieved.
