Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre ends year in strong position
With less than a year until its October 2020 launch, Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre is ending 2019 on a high, with over 50 confirmed events worth more than $30 million in direct economic value to the city.
The confirmed conferences include the New Zealand Dental Association 2020 Conference, 2021 Australasian College for Emergency Medicine Annual Scientific Meeting and the Australasian Coasts & Ports 2021 Conference. All have been secured in the months since ASM Global came onboard as the venue operator.
General Manger Ross Steele said the confirmed conferences would bring over 28,000 people to the city, with around a third of international guests and one in 10 national guests also bringing their partners or families with them.
“With most delegates spending an average of four days at a conference, and many choosing to include a component of pre or post touring, there are myriad opportunities for the city and its residents to benefit.
General Manager Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre - Ross Steele“Alongside the direct economic benefits to local and regional businesses across accommodation, dining, retail and transport – and the indirect benefits to their own suppliers – there are also social opportunities, which extend beyond the duration of each event. These include knowledge sharing and legacy impacts, which will benefit Christchurch well into the future,” Mr Steele said.
Alongside the more than 50 confirmed conferences, the Te Pae Christchurch team are also working on more than 120 events, many of which support the city’s key sectors, as identified by ChristchurchNZ and local education institutes.
As Te Pae Christchurch prepares for its October 2020 opening, Mr Steele said the company would also undertake a massive local recruitment drive in the new year, and seek to finalise agreements with local suppliers. This will provide a host of additional opportunities to Christchurch and Canterbury residents.
Mr Steele said the recent announcement of up to four new hotels – bringing their own economic benefits to the city – was another sign that Te Pae Christchurch is on the right track. Te Pae Christchurch will deliver value and benefit to the City beyond the venue’s direct impact.
One of Te Pae Christchurch’s first events, will be the New Zealand Dental Association (NZDA) 2020 Conference, taking place from 6-8 November.
“NZDA is excited to be one of the first few significant national conferences to be held in Te Pae Christchurch,” New Zealand Dental Association chief executive David Crum said. “In our view it is the only venue in the country which has the capacity and flexibility to host this conference without compromise.
“To be in the central city amongst the action and in a spectacular building like Te Pae Christchurch, is brilliant for delegates, speakers and suppliers alike,” he said.
Mr Crum said excitement about the launch of Te Pae Christchurch and its capabilities had been extended into NZDA’s own conference branding. “NZDA concepts for the 2020 conference have been designed with a nod to the building façade and the fact that Te Pae Christchurch is more than a traditional Convention Centre - it is a gathering and meeting place,” he said.
NZDA is the annual conference for New Zealand Dental Association Members. Attracting up to 1,000 attendees, it offers an extensive programme, including the main conference, educational seminars, team days, a large industry expo and social gatherings, which will utilise local restaurants, as well as a black tie dinner.
