New Zealand events industry embarking on exciting growth phase

BEIA Chief Executive Lisa Hopkins has advised that the New Zealand industry was embarking on an exciting phase in its growth, capitalising on its new and existing infrastructure.

Business Events Industry Aotearoa (BEIA) members met online for the 47th Annual General Meeting on Wednesday 1st November.

Hopkins noted “At this year's BEIA conference, international speaker Martin Sirk reminded us New Zealand is the last developed country to have a suite of purpose-built venues. This is our time to shine, and stand tall on a global stage.

“When we look around the country, we offer customers so much choice, from smaller venues at the heart of communities, through to regional spaces with capacity to accommodate some of the largest events.

“New venues, airport developments, roading, transportation, new hotels, new hospitality precincts – all these things are what makes a destination a desirable place to hold a business event.”

BEIA is set to unveil a National Strategy in the first quarter of 2024, designed to steer the sector towards a more aligned, sustainable model.

Hopkins told AGM attendees “Our National Strategy will be ambitious. It needs to be - as the world evolves, so does our sector.”

Deputy Chair, Prue Daly acknowledged outgoing Chair Steve Armitage who was farewelled at the BEIA Conference in September. She said work was well underway to appoint a new independent Chair, who will be announced shortly.

No elections were required for this year, with Prue Daly the General Manager of NZICC returning as Platinum level representative, and Sam Holdich returning as the Silver level representative, both for two years.

The BEIA Board of Management for 2023/2024 is:

Independent Chair: To be appointed shortly

BEIA Chief Executive: Lisa Hopkins

Tourism New Zealand: Bjoern Spreitzer (co-opted)

Air New Zealand: Iain Walker (co-opted)

Platinum:
NZICC/SkyCity Entertainment Group
Prue Daly
Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre
Ross Steele

Gold:
Conference Innovators Ltd
Tracey Thomas

Silver:
Weta Workshop
Sam Holdich

Appointed:
David Perks, Regional Tourism NZ
David Downs, The New Zealand Story

Business Events Industry Aotearoa (BEIA) is the official membership-based association of New Zealand's business events sector. It has more than 460 members across a broad range of industries.

BEIA works to actively promote the sector for its members and New Zealand. It provides advocacy with central government; and offers assistance, information, professional development and business connections to its members.

New Zealand's leading annual business events exhibition, BEIA MEETINGS broke records this year for the value of business it generated. BEIA'S post-MEETINGS buyer survey shows $157 million will be placed over the next five years following the two-day event in Wellington this June — a significant increase on 2022's results.