Tuesday March 8, 2010

For immediate release

Queenstown’s popularity continues to grow as a Conference & Incentive destination

A leading Asia-Pacific business event shows Queenstown continues to grow as an exciting Conference & Incentives destination for corporate travellers.
Queenstown Convention Bureau Manager Kylie Brittain says buyers attending this year’s AIME (Asia Pacific Incentives and Meetings Expo) were queuing up to get information on the resort last week.

“It was a very successful show. There has been an obvious recovery in the market and things appear to becoming more buoyant,” Ms Brittain says.
“We continued to see a good number of Australian buyers this year; however, there was also a revival in interest from the longer haul segments particularly from Asia and the United States.

“The resort has fantastic appeal to the C&I market because of our international airport, high quality accommodation and conference venues and exciting group activities.”

Ms Brittain says the event has generated a number of strong leads.

“The corporate market is very lucrative and is a great revenue booster for Queenstown and it isn’t seasonally dependent,” she says. “We are putting a lot of effort into growing the C&I sector.”

AIME, now in its 18th year, brings together international destinations and international convention buyers. It’s the place where people from around the world learn about destinations and make conferencing plans.

The two-day expo held in Melbourne attracted 700 exhibitors from 50 countries with 3500 hosted buyers and visitors. Kylie Brittain and Jana Kingston represented the QCB who exhibited as part of the collective 100% Pure New Zealand stand alongside Queenstown operators Millbrook Resort, Heritage and Millennium.

Ends