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Convention visitors spent over a million nights in New Zealand last year, with new statistics showing international delegates generating twice as much revenue as other visitors to the country.

The Convention Delegate Survey released by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) for the year to December 2016 show the number of overseas arrivals to New Zealand for conventions and conferences rose to 66,000, up from 63,000 in 2015. A total of 1,213,389 event days were recorded in 2016, up 19% on 2015.

Multi-day convention delegates generated an estimated 1,005,000 visitor nights in New Zealand and they spent an estimated $588 million in 2016, up from $472 million in 2015.

Domestic delegates accounted for $316 million, 54% of the total amount, local delegates spent $141 million - 24%, and international visitors spent a total of $131 million - 22%. Of the international spend, $72 million was generated from Australian visitors and $59 million from other international visitors.

Conventions and Incentives New Zealand (CINZ) Chief Executive, Sue Sullivan says business events continue to be the high-value sector of New Zealand’s visitor economy and that the high number of domestic delegates reflects a strong New Zealand economy.

Sullivan (pictured) explained “companies are investing in educating their teams, and domestic conference attendees are providing a boost to regional New Zealand.

“Smaller regions in New Zealand are investing in new facilities. The recently opened Napier Conference Centre, for example, has a range of domestic conferences scheduled for the next 12 months. Its first event this month was an international horticulture symposium where 86% delegates were from overseas, and 14% domestic.

“New Zealand’s share of the world’s multi-day convention market is set to grow once our new purpose-built facilities open in the main centres, giving us the ability to cater for much larger events,” Sue Sullivan says.

“The broader benefits of a growing business events economy are equally important. New Zealand’s business events sector provides key support for infrastructure development, business relationships, knowledge transfer and industry investment, with the benefits spreading across both city and regional economies.”

Convention Delegate Survey (CDS) YE December 2016 (MBIE)
International delegates stayed an average of six nights in New Zealand - 4.2 nights in the event region and 1.8 nights elsewhere in New Zealand), 
• Spending an estimated $334 per night (Australians spent $372 per night and other international delegates spent $297 per night)
• This per night spend is almost double the average spend per night for all international visitors.
• On average international delegates spent $2,009 in New Zealand.

Domestic delegates (New Zealand delegates from outside the event region) 
• Stayed an average of three nights in the event region
• Spending an estimated $504 per night.

Multi-day convention delegates spent an estimated $588 million within New Zealand in 2016 (up from $472m in 2015). Of this: 
• Domestic delegates spent $316 million (54% of total delegate spend) on attending events outside their home region.
• Local delegates spent $141 million (24%) inside their region.
• Internationals visitors spent $131 million (22%) in New Zealand.

Multi-day conventions generated an estimated 1,005,000 visitor nights in New Zealand.
Of this: 
• 88% (887,000) of visitor nights were spent in the region that hosted the event (international and domestic delegates),
• The remaining 12% (118,000) of visitor nights were spent in other regions (international delegates only).

A total of 1,213,389 days at events were estimated to have occurred in the 2016 calendar year (up 19% on 2015).

Click here to download the full report.

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