Wellington: An Institutional Hotbed in New Zealand

The view over Wellington central from the top of Mount Victoria © WellingtonNZ

Wellington is a city recognised for its connectivity between its research and academic institutions, sector expertise and policy makers, and serves as one of New Zealand's main international gateways for business visitors. Business Events Wellington (BEW) aims to attract international conferences that can benefit from the city’s strengths, while increasing economic and social impact for the city and nation.

New Zealand is known worldwide as a progressive and forward-thinking nation with a focus on people and the planet. At its heart is Wellington, the nation’s capital and seat of government and home to the largest research, science, and innovation workforce in New Zealand.

New Zealand is ranked 2nd out of 102 countries in terms of open government, which means that conferences coming to Wellington can easily connect with high-level political leaders, as well as the many scientific, academic and cultural leaders in Wellington.

Business Events Wellington's strategic objective is to increase Wellington's economic and social impact by attracting, retaining and growing MICE conferences. "We work with organisations all around the world and New Zealand to host their conference in Wellington. We also work with specific clients to anchor events that align with our priority sectors for the city," says Irette Ferreira (right), BEW Manager. This benefits sectors from an academic and scientific research perspective, as well as from an economic development perspective.

Wellington is the most walkable city in New Zealand, with just a 15-minute drive from the airport to downtown. “When delegates come here, they love the compact and easy-going nature.”

In 2023, the city welcomed its first convention centre, Tākina Wellington Convention & Exhibition Centre. "Tākina has elevated Wellington's ability to attract larger-scale international conferences. The modern, world-class venue is located right in the city centre, within walking distance of more than 4,000 hotel rooms, restaurants and entertainment spots," she adds.

Tākina is ideal for conferences of between 300 and 1,200 participants. It offers two floors of dedicated conference space with a total capacity of up to 1,600 delegates in the largest plenary, and 2,500 m² of exhibition space. The venue set-up allows for two conferences to be held simultaneously on both floors, or one conference exclusively.
 

“The flow of delegates, the flexibility of the space and the exclusive use of Tākina are regularly praised by clients.”

Immediately after the pandemic, Wellington saw an increase in face-to-face conferences, with many national organisations realising the need to build closer relationships with their relevant government body. Since the new convention centre opened, the city has also attracted a larger number of international conferences, particularly from Australasia.

"The new convention centres in Wellington and Christchurch, and the opening of the New Zealand International Convention Centre in Auckland (scheduled for 2025) means we are experiencing more interest in New Zealand. And that’s positive for us all," says Ferreira.

Wellington has a clear strategy for the long-term growth of its key sectors. The expertise and progress in these sectors provide excellent conference opportunities for associations in these fields.

"Associations are increasingly looking for local knowledge to align with their mission, so we are connecting organisers with academic, scientific, political and cultural leaders.”

To support conferences to extend their impact long term, Business Events Wellington launched a legacy programme in early 2024 that is managed by its in-house convention services advisor. "We work closely with local organising committees or hosts to ensure that conference intentions are turned into concrete and lasting legacies. The programme is already receiving excellent feedback from clients," Irette adds.
 

Tākina Wellington Convention & Exhibition Centre © Jason Mann

Manaakitanga and Kaitiakitanga

The authentic cultural heritage that stems from Māori civilisation and New Zealand's transformative leadership set the country apart as an events destination. As it becomes increasingly important to create space for diverse voices and ensure a genuine connection with local culture, organisers recognise immense value in incorporating indigenous elements into conference programmes.

“A number of recent conferences in Wellington have involved speakers or included Māori representation on their Local Organising Committee. For example, the 3rd Asia Pacific Society for Physical Activity (ASPA) Conference in 2023 incorporated co-creation into the conference right from the start.” The conference content included specific sessions on the indigenous experience and brought matauranga Māori (Māori knowledge) into the sector’s research, with half of the keynote speakers being Māori. "The feedback from delegates was extremely positive and the organisation plans to incorporate the learnings from this experience into future conferences," she says.
 

“Business Events Wellington works with key opinion leaders locally to identify international organisations and conference opportunities.”

What impact can an event have in Wellington?

Conferences play an important role in advancing social, environmental and economic development in New Zealand and beyond. For example, the New Zealand Women in Medicine Conference (NZWIM) 2024 set out to address some of the long facing health inequalities facing Māori and Pacific peoples in New Zealand. Hosted in May 2024 at Tākina, NZWIM recognised a limited knowledge of the Māori worldview in the medical community was affecting patient access and outcomes, and restricting recognition of indigenous healthcare providers.

To address this, the conference integrated Māori and Pasifika perspectives by including numerous presenters and traditional dance sessions in addition to a plenary session on cultural safety in New Zealand's healthcare system. “Participants gained new insights into Māori culture, improving their understanding of these competencies, perspectives and the diverse needs of Māori and Pacific patients. This demonstrates how events can bring communities together to connect, learn and share knowledge in a way that produces long-term benefits,” says Ferreira.
 

New Zealand Women in Medicine Conference 2022 at Te Papa © NZWIM

Wellington is a city where care for the environment is of great importance.

It means conference organisers can tap into a range of expertise to support their mission when it comes to climate action.“Wellington is home to New Zealand's leading climate change and biodiversity researchers, innovative cleantech companies and even Zealandia Te Māra a Tāne, the world's first fully-fenced urban ecosanctuary.” Capitalising on Zealandia's conservation efforts and widespread community support, Wellington is one of few cities in the world where native birdlife is on the increase.

Wellington suppliers are also held accountable for climate impacts through their activities, including the events industry. As a result, Wellington's venues, hotels and suppliers are extremely committed to reducing the negative impact of events. “For instance, Tākina is the first of its kind in New Zealand to achieve 5-Star Green Star certification, operating with 60% less energy consumption than comparable buildings.”

To assist organisers hosting more sustainable events, Business Events Welington has a number of resources on hand. "Organisers can use our comprehensive 'How to Plan a Sustainable Event Guide' and we also connect planners with local organisations and suppliers to easily create a more positive enviromental and social impact through their event." 

Looking ahead, Wellington is set to host a series of international conferences until 2028. As early as October, the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists will host more than 900 delegates at its four-day Annual Scientific Meeting.

“Events taking place next year include, among others, the International Council for Traditional Music and Dance World Conference in January 2025, when Wellington will welcome around 700 delegates. In November 2025, the World Conference of the International Council for Open and Distance Education is expected to attract 800 delegates,” Irette concludes.