Business Events Industry Aotearoa conference postponed despite unveiling of New Zealand’s COVID roadmap

Business Events Industry Aotearoa (BEIA) and Hawke’s Bay Tourism have announced the postponement of BEIA’s 45th Annual Conference in Hawke’s Bay until 2022 – with a New Zealand Government roadmap on dealing with the current COVID-19 outbreak having come too late to save this year’s event.

BEIA Chief Executive, Lisa Hopkins, and Hamish Saxton, Chief Executive of Tourism Hawke’s Bay, both considered that the risks associated with the current COVID-19 outbreak, as well as the continued lockdowns in Auckland and Waikato, and the uncertainty around travel restrictions, necessitated the difficult decision to postpone the conference.

Speaking yesterday, Hopkins advised “It was important to both organisations that we delivered on several key objectives.

“Firstly, to provide an opportunity for our business events community to come together after what has been a torrid two years. Secondly, to enable Hawke’s Bay Tourism to showcase their wonderful region. And finally, it was to provide thought-provoking content, which supported our theme of BEing Bold, Brave and Ready.”

Due to have been held from 1st to 3rd November, all delegates who have registered and paid for the conference will receive a full refund.

Hopkins went on to say “we look forward to returning to the Hawke’s Bay region in 2022.

“The teams are working on new dates right now and these will be announced soon.”

BEIA’s Annual General Meeting will still go ahead online, and a date for this will be confirmed shortly.

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern this week announced a decision by Cabinet, which acted on public health advice, to transition Auckland out of current restrictions “carefully and methodically, with regular check-ins to ensure we’re continuing to actively control the virus”.

The emphasis has shifted to combatting and controlling the virus, and boosting vaccination, rather than striving for total elimination.

Images: Toitoi, the Hawke's Bay Arts & Events Centre (top) and Lisa Hopkins (below).