Te Pae Opening A Significant Moment For Business Events In Ōtautahi Christchurch

Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre opened on December 17 to fanfare and excitement. It adds to our existing business events infrastructure and will further re-establish Christchurch as a leader in the business events industry for the Asia Pacific region.

Te Pae Christchurch is the first new generation convention centre in New Zealand, offering the world-leading conferencing technology required for modern events.

The 2000-person capacity facility has about 100 confirmed events in their first 12 months, including more than 50 multi-day conferences, that will collectively bring more than 70,000 people into the city. It is estimated that Te Pae Christchurch will inject about $60m per year into the local economy, with international conferences anticipated to generate more visitor spending than some international sporting fixtures.

The economic value of business events across NZ is estimated at $1.5 billion annually. A business event attendee spends an average of $375 per day, compared to $232 for international visitors and $155 for domestic travellers.

Megan Crum, ChristchurchNZ Head of Business Events, said this was a “momentous shift in our city’s capability to host business events”.

“Te Pae Christchurch is the game changer this city has been waiting for, and we can already see how it adds to the infrastructure that makes Christchurch the best city in New Zealand to host business events. They promote and showcase Christchurch’s expertise and innovation to the world and attract global leaders and decision-makers. The knowledge and collaboration that flows from them leads to funding opportunities and invitations to appear on the world stage.”

Many of the large events will take place midweek between March and November – a shoulder season for visitors – meaning a well-timed and regular economic boost to a range of sectors across the city.

With the addition of Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre, Ōtautahi Christchurch now stands tall as a city that has it all for business events in New Zealand – a walkable CBD with world-class events and accommodation infrastructure, all a short drive from an international airport, and at the heart of an accessible region filled with adventure and exploration.