Tourism industry opportunities at TRENZ
1000 delegates from New Zealand and overseas attended TRENZ 2024
The New Zealand tourism industry has enjoyed a solid summer season, and now it must build on that momentum, an industry leader says.
Tourism Industry Aotearoa Chief Executive Rebecca Ingram was speaking at the first day of TRENZ, the New Zealand tourism industry’s most significant business gathering in Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington.
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One thousand delegates from New Zealand and overseas attended TRENZ, which opened at an event attended by hundreds of delegates, the Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, Minister of Tourism and Hospitality Matt Doocey, and several ambassadors and dignitaries.
During the two core days of TRENZ, over 330 buyers from 25 countries were able to network and negotiate business with 313 top New Zealand tourism operators. The relationships forged will confirm business for the coming years.
Delegates attend appointments, presentations and networking functions and buyers have the opportunity to visit a variety of Wellington’s best visitor experiences. TRENZ is expected to result in at least $4 million of new spend in Wellington last week.
“TRENZ is a happy reunion for many of our buyers who have existing relationships with New Zealand tourism operators and it’s an amazing opportunity to see what’s new with new businesses and experiences on show also. Seeing is understanding, TRENZ is especially valuable for buyers who have never visited here before,” Ms Ingram said.
“Most operators had a really buoyant summer, and 80 percent of tourism employers in a recent survey have told us that they are feeling optimistic about the next 12 months.
“We should never underestimate our place in the world. Tourism is a very competitive global market and events like TRENZ are critical for cementing our position and building long term sustainable business networks.
“The key for the industry is going to be maintaining the long-term course that it has charted for itself.”
TRENZ was at Tākina Convention and Exhibition Centre until Friday 10 May.
TRENZ was delivered by Tourism Industry Aotearoa on behalf of the Tourism Industry New Zealand Trust, with assistance from its premier sponsor Air New Zealand and supported by Tourism New Zealand and event partners.
Mandy has over two decades of experience in accommodation and tourism industry writing, and she is also an accomplished editor and publisher. As co-Director of Multimedia Pty Ltd, a trusted B2B content provider for the accommodation and education sectors in Australia and New Zealand, she oversees high-quality print and digital content across notable publications, including AccomNews, Resort News, and School News, along with the property listing platform AccomProperties. Mandy’s contributions have been recognised with the Female Leader Award at the Best of Tourism 2023 and the ARAMA Life Member Award in 2024.