Rotorua grows as a Conference Destination

The Rotorua Convention Bureau has released a statement that it is "thrilled" with the latest Convention Activity Survey (CAS) results which show huge growth in multi-day conferences and delegate days in 2011.
The CAS results show Rotorua secured 297 multi-day conferences in the year to December 2011, 28 more conferences than in the previous year. This equated to 10.4% growth for the region compared to a decline of 20.8% in the CAS benchmark.
More than 40,000 delegates attended Rotorua's 297 multi-day conferences with these delegates collectively staying for almost 140,000 delegate days in Rotorua. They are also estimated to have spent $60 million in the region.
Rotorua's market share of domestic delegate days spent in the 10 New Zealand CAS regions has increased from 12% to 20% over the previous year and from 2% to 17% for Australian delegates. Australian delegate days spent in Rotorua have increased from fewer than 2000 days a year ago to more than 10,000 in the most recent year.
Rotorua Convention Bureau Manager Denise Siviter says when Rotorua first went into the Australian conference market with Business Development Manager Debbie Gee, Rotorua had no profile and no history, but with a lot of hard work the Australian market has come ahead in leaps and bounds.
Siviter explained "these results are clearly a reflection of the work that Debbie has done in the Australian conference market, boosted by the support of local industry.
"Rotorua Convention Bureau and industry have formed strong relationships with key people in Australia by working together to encourage business to come across this side of the Tasman."
MEETINGS 2011 (New Zealand's only national conference and incentive trade show) was held in Rotorua for the first time last June which has also helped to raise the profile of Rotorua's conference and incentive industry.
Siviter says MEETINGS showed delegates how easy it is to run a professional and successful event in a compact city like Rotorua, with many people seeing the city in a fresh new light. Siviter hopes the success of MEETINGS will help Rotorua to continue to grow in the future, concluding "these results are a great start to the year and the Rotorua Convention Bureau look forward to another successful year in 2012."

http://www.rotoruanz.com/conferences/conventionbureau.php