NEW ZEALAND:THE NEW MICE DESTINATION IN THE ASIA PACIFIC

 By Maurice Louis

This year's edition of the Annual Exhibition for Conventions & Incentives New Zealand was hosted by Christchurch, the capital of and the largest city in the South Island; (340.000 inhabitants). Allan Trotter, Chief Executive of Conventions & Incentives New Zealand, said in his opening speech that Convention arrivals into New Zealand are running at an all time high, with particularly strong growth from Australia and North America.

New Zealand has suffered from two misconceptions till now. One, agriculture was considered to be the only important export product and neither the department of industry and trade, not the New Zealand Tourist Board have reserved funds in the past for the MICE industry. The creation of the necessary infrastructure, needed to face the growing competition in the Asia Pacific Region has not been funded nor has the promotion budget for Conventions & Incentives New Zealand been impressive. So, where as Singapore, Hong Kong, Sydney and Melbourne have constructed their meeting and convention capacity to be able to deal with Asia Pacific Congresses of "ICCA dimensions", New Zealand's MICE structures tend to be small, "young and inexperienced" and are often set in an infrastructure that has not been conceived for the purpose. Promotion for "MICE Destination New Zealand" has consequently been almost completely absent in most of Europe, China, India with modest activities only in Australia and the US.

Second thinking error was the oversight of the opportunity of attracting the ex-pat community in the Asia Pacific region, the diplomatic community and the regional directors of multi national companies who constitute a large population of ex-pat Europeans and Americans who yearn for spring, autumn and winter as a change from the humid polluted air of Kuala Lumpur, Singapore or Tokyo.
In fact, New Zealand offers most climate and natural variations found on the American or European continent and all seasons with the added benefit of the short distances that allow playing golf in the Northlands - New Zealand's equivalent of the Riviera - on Monday and with a 2 hour helicopter flight go fishing the next day in a Fiord or skiing in the Alps of the South Island.

In the wake of the success of some other industries, with the film industry as the most prominent locomotive thanks to the "The Lord of the Rings trilogy (referred to now as LOTR)", some new choices are made on government levels as to the importance of international (business) travel as export commodity. Auckland has seen the opening of a new purpose built convention centre set amidst the necessary hotel and restaurant infrastructure and in 2005 a new event venue with a theatre seating capacity of up to 3000 seats will open in the vicinity of Auckland's airport.

MEETINGS 2004 - The mice showroom in New Zealand
Christchurch, located in the Canterbury region, the "NZ skiing capital" is one of the main convention and incentive destinations in NZ offering a purpose built Convention Centre with theatre style seating capacity for 50 to 2500 and linked to the Town Hall and the performing Arts Centre. Other cities competing mostly for the national market and some Australian business are Queenstown in the South Island and Wellington, Auckland, Rotorua and Taupo in the North Inland. Flights from one destination to the next are rarely more than 1 hour.

Helicopters and scenic flights
Transport to NZ from within the Asia Pacific region or from the US West Coast takes approx. 10 hours and most of the world's best airlines service the Asia Pacific network. Auckland offers the widest choice of international flights with Air New Zealand - Qantas - Lauda Air- Emirates - Singapore Air lines and Thai operating intercontinental connections. Once in NZ, apart from limousine service or private coaches, transfers for a pre- or post convention activity are likely to include a helicopter flight or scenic flight in a small aircraft. A visit to a luxury lodge for golfing, fishing, hunting or tracking through "middle earth" is the other "must".

Christchurch
The English heritage urban design city has it's own airport, the 3rd international airport of the country, providing all the flights to and from Australia, and some direct flights to the US (e.g. Los Angeles) and Asia or transfer flights for the Middle East and European destinations. City transfer from the airport takes about 20mn with shuttle or taxi. The many Asia Pacific connections to Singapore, Honk-Kong, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Shangaï or Tokyo allow convenient connections to target Asia Pacific seminars for the management teams of Multi Nationals in the region like Siemens, Philips, Nokia.
Everywhere in the towns of New Zealand the "European touch" is modestly attractively as it doesn't dilute the distinct Kiwi flavor that springs from a unique culture born from the two cohabitants - the Maori population and those with European pioneer ancestry, referred to as Pakehas by the locals.

Venues : International Antarctic Centre - Air Force Museum - Art Gallery- City Town Hall - Terrace Downs
Accommodation : 1500 rooms 4 & 5 star hotels mostly at walking distance to the Conference Centre going from luxury boutique hotel e.g. Small Luxury Hotels member The George for hospitality with style with a capital L for Luxury. Adam Riley General Manager and Heather Gordon Director of Sales and Marketing were present during Meetings 2004 to promote their meeting facilities (6 meeting rooms-classroom 60 pax or Theatre style 140) and further widen their reputation for excellent food. Larger hotels include the Crowne Plaza (298 rooms) the Chateau on the Park (190 rooms) and the Hotel Grand Chancellor ( 171 rooms)

Established in 1997 MEETINGS Exhibition hosted 165 buyers this year from 20 - 22 July, mostly coming from Australia. It is to date the largest the annual industry trade show that promotes New Zealand as Mice destination with attendance of international buyers. The hosted buyers programme provides return airfares and four night accommodation and includes the organization of face to face meetings with the New Zealand suppliers. The face to face pre-organised 15mn appointments are considered the best way to give both parties value for money.

Venues across New Zealand
Wellington , Auckland, Queenstown, Dunedin, Rotorua or Taupo were present with their regional convention bureau. Independent suppliers included PCOs and some hotels already equipped for meetings and conventions like the Grand Chateau, a colonial style grand hotel with 76 rooms and 4 meeting rooms set in National Park a unique forest and mountain area that has recently been awarded UNESCO heritage recognition. On the Tasman Sea-side in Omapere the OmapereTourist Hotel offers team building facilities that include 25 self-contained beachfront and off-beach front units. Some luxury private locations were there to promote their own incentive or team building packages and meetings facilities. The New Zealand equivalent of a star grading system for accommodation Qualmark, allows easy recognition of top locations that tend to be independently owned and that offer very exclusive accommodation and facilities which may include a helicopter pad or services of a private fishing or hunting guide. The Qualmark grading system has been extended to include event venues (Napier's War Memorial Hall and the Wellington Convention Centre have recently been graded) and activities. The Qualmark endorsement can be compared to the ISO qualification and is supported by the National Tourist Board to allow international meeting planners to have confidence when working with a "Qualmarked" supplier.

ACTION AND ADVENTURE

Taupo
Lake Taupo with the world famous Huka Lodge (SLH) and the Mt Ruapehu region are best known as the fly-fishing capital of the world. Incentive packages offered: rope courses - 4x4 quad bikes - bungy jumping (a New Zealand invention) - sky diving - paint ball - off road dirt bikes- and cruising across Lake Taupo under leisurely sail. Specialty; trout fishing tournament on several chartered boats with local fly fishing guides.

Rotorua - One of the country's top tourist destinations where "Conventions are anything but conventional" - and this year's IMEX Wild Card Winner - has a cooperation project representing the interests of 6 event venues including the Rotorua Convention Centre: 700 seat with the largest Banquet Room catering for up to 1000 for cocktails and the Rotorua International Sports and Event Stadium (seating capacity 40.000) - Hotel accommodation down town in several large hotels The Grand Tiara Hotel (133 rooms) Novotel Royal Lakeside (199 rooms) Rydges (135) or Lake Plaza (250) and smaller accommodations including the 2003 Tourism New Zealand Award winners Kawaha Point Lodge.
Domestic flights are available from and to Wellington, Auckland, Christchurch or Queenstown and airport transfer from down town takes approx 20 minutes. Specialties; As the city with major references to the Maori history of New Zealand, Rotorua offers cultural packages that include Traditional Maori Welcome on a local Marae.(Maori equivalent of the town hall) - welcome with chants, explanations of some Maori cultural aspects like the haka made famous by the New Zealand rugby team., you elect a chief of your party and accept the challenge of showing that you come in peace.
Mud Massage and Spa : Have a soak in the warm, geothermal heated lake. Spa capital of the South Pacific, there are natural steaming mineral pools, natural mud wrap and massage are traditional part of the treatment.
Unique fish-lunch using the geothermal phenomena : Get on board for a spot of fishing near Hot Water Beach and then cook your fresh trout in the hot sand.
18 holes on a hot steam landscape : Swing, drive and put between the hot steam and geysers at walking distance from the hotel on the downtown golf course.
Breakfast in the forest : Dine under the towering trees with Robin Hood and his Merry Men.

Auckland: City of Sails, with a down town skyline resembling the New Zealand Manhattan, and the main venues situated around the harbour bay. The new SKYCITY Convention Centre open since April 2004 is the second purpose built convention centre in New Zealand after Christchurch. The facilities include 2500 m2 exhibition space largest room with capacity of 4000 pax for cocktail - 1500 in theatre configuration and offering a hotel (344 rooms) five restaurants and a casino on site, with another hotel directly connected to the convention centre (317 rooms) in construction. Another venue targeting the international conference market will be The TelstraClear Pacific Events Centre conceived to bring together art, culture, leisure and business. Opening early 2005 near the Auckland International Airport suburb, Manukau City the centre will offer covered seating for maximum 3000 participants. The district has 1400 rooms and two 18 holes golf courses. Auckland activities include the Bungy Sky Jump - Harbour Bridge Adventure - Sailing & Dinning Cruises - Ocean Rafting and at a Ferry ride of 40 minutes from the mainland, Waihiki Island is the New Zealand version of Ibiza with it's artist colony, wineries, excellent restaurants and unexpected exotic beaches.

Other unique New Zealand activities include privately guided tours through middle earth, swimming with the dolphins with Dolphin Discoveries located at the Bay of Islands - Northland. 3 airports in the Northland (Whangarei, Keri Keri , Kataia) are serviced daily by Air New Zealand link between 30 or 40 minutes flight time from Auckland
 

100% pure meetings and incentives in NewZealand, a secret?
At most international Tourism Trade Fairs, the easily recognizable and prize winning big sized posters "100% Pure New Zealand" have become the trade mark attracting more and more individual travellers. Now the challenge will be to spread the message to the international meeting professional and to the board room of the multinational marketing departments that people who are coming down under may expect to find something unique. But there is a distortion between the international Mice market potential of New Zealand which is undoubtedly there and the dimensions of an event like MEETINGS 2004. The organisation on the level of presence from trade press was almost confidential. I was surprised to find myself being the only journalist apart from the CIM Australia Publisher who was a MEETINGS 2004 exhibitor. (*) No press conference, no press room, press tour nor press kit were available and yours truly paid for the return plane ticket and accommodation out of love for the profession, we shall say.

MEETINGS 2004 was a success for both meeting planners and exhibitors.

(*) - Stu Freman was present, he is Meeting Newz Publisher/Editor and main sponsor of MEETINGS 2004.

The author wishes to thank the management of The George - Luxury Boutique Hotel in Christchurch for the trade discount and the excellent hospitality - The George- 50 Park Terrace PO Box 13063 Christchurch 8001. Tel: + 64 3 379 4560 - Email: info@thegeorge.com - Web: www.thegeorge.com

By Maurice Louis, solutions@wxc.net.nz