Tourism New Zealand is setting a bigger target for business travel, saying it will chase 110 conference bids worth a record $253 million in the next financial year. The agency's 18 June announcement said it was closing the current financial year after hitting 110 bids worth $185 million, and would keep the same number of bids while lifting the value target sharply.
Conferences bring a different type of visitor from the classic holiday market. Tourism New Zealand Business Events global manager Penelope Ryan said business events are a high-value part of the visitor mix because they bring people who spend more, travel outside peak seasons and contribute to New Zealand's knowledge economy.
The target also comes at a time when tourism recovery is being measured carefully. Tourism New Zealand has separately said the sector was close to reaching its international visitor arrival milestone, and that international visitors injected an additional $1.2 billion into the economy over summer compared with the previous year.
New Zealand was named an early recovery leader in the International Congress and Convention Association's 2025 global rankings, moving to 45th from 48th in 2024. Business Events Industry Aotearoa data showed multi-day conferences supported $925 million in economic activity in New Zealand in 2025 and generated more than 735,000 international visitor nights.
That visitor-night figure is especially important. A conference delegate may arrive before an event, stay after it, bring a partner, book restaurants, join tours and return later as a holiday visitor. The value is not limited to the meeting room.
New Zealand now has major convention infrastructure in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch, giving the country a stronger platform for bids. Tourism New Zealand says there is increased interest from corporate and incentive groups out of North America, Australia and South-East Asia.
The $253 million target is ambitious, but it points to the type of travel growth New Zealand wants: higher value, less dependent on peak-season leisure crowds and connected to sectors that can build longer-term relationships.
