Media Release Date 7 December 2017

Hawke’s Bay wins national tourism conference

Hawke’s Bay Tourism in conjunction with Napier City Council has landed a massive coup wining the Tourism Export Council Conference in August 2018.

Around 250 delegates will visit Hawke’s Bay for their annual conference August 8-9 2018. It is expected this will equate to at least 750 nights spent in the region.

Announced yesterday to over 300 members of the tourism industry in Auckland, this conference win is particularly significant because the delegates include the key international travel buyers from tourism businesses around New Zealand. The conference will be held at the Napier Conference Centre and Century Theatre at the MTG.

The tourism industry of Hawke’s Bay has stepped up to ensure this conference is a true showcase for the region. An extensive familiarisation programme of the region’s tourism experiences is being provided before and after the conference to ensure all delegates experience what we have first- hand.

Annie Dundas GM Hawke’s Bay Tourism says, “This conference is one of the most important on the national calendar and it’s our chance to show the rest of the country the incredible tourism product we have on offer. We last hosted this conference in 2005 and there has been huge investment in tourism facilities and experiences since then”.

Napier’s Mayor Bill Dalton stated today that he is extremely pleased that the conference is to be held in Hawke’s Bay in 2018. He added, “The Tourism Export Council of New Zealand plays a vital and supportive role in the expansion of New Zealand tourism and hosting this conference will give the region the opportunity to highlight our assets and attract further visitors to our stunning destination”.

Judy Chen CEO of the Tourism Export Council of New Zealand said “We are extremely excited to be returning to the Hawke's Bay region for our 2018 conference. We look forward to contributing to the region's tourism growth by showcasing its best to key tourism operators across the country. I would like to thank Hawke's Bay Tourism, Napier City Council, and the local operators for their wonderful support so far as the TECNZ's annual conference would not be possible without such great partnerships”.

Tourism Export Council of New Zealand

The Tourism Export Council acknowledges the position of tourism as a key New Zealand export industry. The Tourism Export Council of New Zealand is a trade association that represents the interests of the
New Zealand inbound tourism industry. Its membership includes inbound tour operators (Inbound Members) and attraction, activity, accommodation and transport suppliers (Allied Members). Today, its Inbound and Allied Members collectively handle most of New Zealand’s holiday visitor arrivals.

The Tourism Export Council of New Zealand plays a vital and supportive role in the expansion of
New Zealand tourism. Its relationships with product suppliers in New Zealand and off-shore wholesalers are absolutely key to the nation’s continued growth as a visitor destination.

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