This year’s annual MEETINGS event will be showcasing the growing export value of business tourism in New Zealand.

Around 1000 conference and incentive planners from around the globe are expected to attend the tourism industry’s premier trade event at the SkyCity Convention Centre in Auckland on 13 and 14 June 2012.

Organised by Convention and Incentives New Zealand (CINZ), MEETINGS provides an opportunity for suppliers and operators to unite under one roof with buyers from around the world.

CINZ chief executive Alan Trotter said the event is vital to the country’s economy as business tourism events attracted over 60,000 people to New Zealand last year.

"We've been working hard to position New Zealand as a top class destination for conferences, conventions and incentive travel and we are seeing good growth in this sector of our industry,” Mr Trotter said.

“With new convention centres planned for Auckland and Christchurch our position is only going to get stronger.

"MEETINGS is a very important marketing tool for us because it is a one-stop shop in which we can demonstrate the richness and diversity of our country to key decision-makers and prove that we have the capability to deliver on our promises."

Some 188 hosted buyers representing influential companies and organisations from nine countries are being brought to MEETINGS by CINZ, Tourism New Zealand and Air New Zealand because of their potential business connections.

Tourism New Zealand's general manager marketing communications Justin Watson said the team works hard to ensure a good spread of international buyers as well as media is present.
 
"This year we have great representation from all the markets that we are targeting to grow the business events sector,” Mr Watson said.

"MEETINGS provides a fantastic opportunity for us to get buyers and media to experience New Zealand first hand and talk with the people who are at the heart of the Industry.