Reduced Restrictions Welcomed by New Zealand Business Events Sector

The New Zealand government’s announcement today ending vaccine mandates from 4 April, and increasing indoor event capacity to 200 from this Friday, 25 March is a step forward for the business events sector.

Business Events Industry Aotearoa (BEIA), Chief Executive Lisa Hopkins (cover photo) says the reduction of restrictions is a further move in the right direction for the sector’s recovery after border reopening was announced last week.

BEIA is the official membership-based association of New Zealand’s business events sector with more than 460 members across a broad range of sectors. BEIA works to actively promote the sector for its members and New Zealand, providing advocacy with central government and offering assistance, information, professional development and real business opportunities to its members.

“This positive news from the Prime Minister will start to bring back vital confidence and clarity for event decision-makers. We look forward to the next review of the Covid Protection Framework settings on 4 April.

“Our sector hasn’t been able to work effectively since last August when traffic light settings of the Covid Protection Framework were set at Red and gathering numbers restricted to 100. Confidence has been at an all-time low,” she says.

In 2019 in New Zealand, the business events industry was valued at $1.5 billion per annum, with over 3.6 million attendees both domestic and international, employing 22,000 people. However, since Covid-19, the value of the sector has reduced by 78 per cent. This can be attributed to a combination of reduced international visitors due to border closures, the impact of restrictions, and the compounding lack of confidence from the sector.

Speaking from Melbourne today, where she is attending the Asia Pacific Incentives and Meetings Event (AIME) 2022, Hopkins says up to 100 multi-day international conferences and events are waiting to confirm bookings for New Zealand.

“New Zealand has world-class venue infrastructure ready, with Te Pae Christchurch now open, Tākina Wellington for next year, and the New Zealand International Convention Centre (NZICC) in Auckland to follow.

“We are seeing a lot of interest and excitement here today. Event organisers in Australia are telling us they want to bring their client business back to New Zealand. The positive messages from the Prime Minister today will now drive a sense of surety as we work towards fewer restrictions,” Hopkins says.

BEIA manages New Zealand’s only national annual trade show MEETINGS. Last held in June 2021, MEETINGS generated $74 million of business for the New Zealand industry. MEETINGS 2022 will be staged in Christchurch on 15 and 16 June.