NZICC general manager Prue Daly says the new centre will attract 33,000 more visitors to New Zealand annually. Photo: Jessica Hopkins
The tourism industry is optimistic a long-awaited convention centre opening in Auckland CBD could help it bounce back to pre-Covid levels.
A decade after work on the building first began, the New Zealand International Convention Centre (NZICC) on Hobson Street is finally projected to open in February 2026.
This week, it was revealed Casino operator SkyCity Entertainment was suing Fletcher Building for losses incurred, due to delays in completing the centre.
SkyCity Entertainment alleges negligence caused a 2019 fire that resulted in the project being delayed by almost seven years.
Once complete, the NZICC will be the country's largest indoor conference space.
The centre was a central topic of discussion at the country's largest business events trade show, MEETINGS, at Auckland Showgrounds from 10-12 June.
More than 1000 professionals from New Zealand, Australia, Southeast Asia and North America attended or had stands at the event, which generated business bookings worth $110 million for New Zealand in 2024.
NZICC general manager Prue Daly said the centre would be a world-class venue for domestic and international business events. She said it would bring in an estimated 33,000 international conference visitors who would not otherwise come to New Zealand, contributing $90 million of new economic spending annually.
"Most conferences are between March and November, when our summer season is over and general tourists are gone, so it's [the NZICC] a great off-peak tourism driver."
She said the centre would drive tourism in other regions, not just Auckland.
"Because people are coming that little bit further, they're generally bringing family members with them, and they'll go to other areas of New Zealand and spend money.
"Whether it's restaurants, bars, hotels or tourism attractions, they're going to want to experience our country and all its great things."
Twenty-three events - including the International Coral Reef Symposium, bringing 23,000 delegates for 126,000 visitor days - had been booked at the centre up to 2028.
The centre had 51 other bids for international events up until 2030. Meetings would also be held at the centre in 2026, but compared to other countries, Daly said funding to attract people willing to spend big was limited.
"We need more funding to be competitive on a global scale. I don't know the best way for us to get that, but it's needed to support the growth of our industry and bring in high-value visitors."
She said a "bed night visitor levy" could be an option, while uplifting New Zealanders who were successful in their fields would also help make the centre more successful.
"Most conferences are coming here, because we're doing something amazing that everyone wants to learn for, or we need people to come in and help us solve a problem."
Business Events Industry Aotearoa chief executive Lisa Hopkins said recent government investment had buoyed business events and tourism in New Zealand.
"We had some great announcements this week from the Minister for Tourism and Hospitality on support for the industry, which is much needed. It means New Zealand can compete on an equal playingfield to win business to the country."
Australian Business Events Association vice chair Matt Pearce agreed New Zealand had stepped up its capability to host big business events.
"Australia is competitive with New Zealand, not just on the rugby field.
"With NZICC coming up early next year and the new Christchurch stadium, New Zealand is now competitive with us, because of this infrastructure.
"From a collaborative standpoint, we can build us both up and let people know we're worth the extra journey. If people think it's worth coming to New Zealand, they'll come to Australia and vice versa."
Christchurch in the mic too
Meanwhile, Christchurch NZ business events manager Jen Henshaw said the new One NZ Stadium, due to open next April, would greatly help business tourism there.
Christchurch NZ business events manager Jen Henshaw says Christchurch is also a prime location for international business events. Photo: Jessica Hopkins
"We are so fortunate to have Te Pae convention centre in the heart of the city and the new stadium will be a fantastic addition to our infrastructure."
She said the stadium would have an estimated $50 million economic impact each year for the city.
Destination Queenstown and Lake Wānaka Tourism chief executive Mat Woods said attracting tourists was important, but he said the pressure of tourism on the district's water network and road congestion needed more focus.
"We've seen greater demand in Queenstown than the rest of the country post-Covid from domestic travel, but also coming from Australia, the US and China.
"Tourism NZ is doing an excellent job at demand generation, but we need to balance that with the supply side.
"It's exciting to see the government's Tourism Growth Road Map look at the supply side of things.
Woods suggested a national tourism authority be formed as a co-ordinated approach between regional tourism offices.
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