Convention Centre good news for tourism
7 August 2014
News release
Tourism leaders are welcoming today’s announcement of international
investment to develop Christchurch’s new Convention Centre.
“We’re thrilled to have today’s confirmation of the development and operation of Christchurch’s new Convention Centre,
set to open in 2017,” says Tim Hunter, chief executive of Christchurch & Canterbury Tourism.
Plenary Conventions New Zealand, a consortium of proven international infrastructure firm Plenary Group, and experienced
local firms Ngai Tahu Property and Carter Group, has been selected as the preferred development consortium for this very
large project.
Leading international convention centre and hotel operator Accor is the referred operator of the Convention Centre.
Accor will also work with the Crown and Plenary Conventions NZ into the master planning and development phase.
Christchurch & Canterbury Convention Bureau manager Caroline Blanchfield says the announcement means the Bureau can now actively
pursue large international conferences for Christchurch.
“We already have significant interest in events wanting to book at least three
years out. Now we have the certainty to go out and sell Christchurch on this scale.
She says the new venue will tick all the boxes for conference organisers and fit what the convention industry is looking
for in New Zealand.
“It’s going to be versatile and connected to a vibrant city centre with major hotel development attached to it. It’s
exactly what we are after and gives us the go-ahead to ramp up our marketing of the city.”
Christchurch & Canterbury Convention Bureau works closely with Tourism New Zealand to attract new international conferences, Ms
Blanchfield says.
“Government support of the business events sector and increased funding to
Tourism New Zealand has boosted international promotion of this country’s
unique meeting, conference and incentive travel offerings.”
In recent weeks the city has won two international conference bids. The 20th Pacific Association of Quantity Surveyors
(PAQS) Congress will bring 400 delegates to Christchurch in May 2016, and the city will host 80 international delegates
to the ECCA (Environmental Criminology and Crime Analysis)Symposium in 2015.
Tourism New Zealand’s International Business Events manager Bjoern Spreitzer says the new Convention Centre will attract
more high-value visitors to the South Island in the off-peak season, and boost the country’s reputation abroad.
“With an outstanding venue in a lively central city precinct, Christchurch is helping put New Zealand on the map as a
world-class business events destination,” Mr Spreitzer says.
Ms Blanchfield says Christchurch offers a unique learning environment for
delegates across diverse fields of interest.
“We have a wealth of expertise to share in many sectors including earth science, health science, agriculture, technology
and education,” she says.
“Our location in the heart of the South Island makes Christchurch an ideal international conference destination,
appealing to delegates and organisers who want to make the most of their time here to explore, either before or after
their conference.”
Background information
•The Convention Centre Precinct (CCP) will be located on the block defined by Armagh Street, Oxford Terrace, Worcester
Street and Colombo Street; and Gloucester Street will become part of the precinct itself.
•In this location, the CCP will connect to The Square, Victoria Square and the Avon River Precinct and there will be
day-to-day activities at ground level on all sides. Beyond the Convention Centre complex, the precinct is likely to
combine hotel accommodation, hospitality, retail, and commercial and residential uses.
•The CCP will be able to accommodate several events at the same time, initially with space for up to 1,500 people in
events of different sizes, and expand to accommodate 2,000 people in the future.
•The CCP will have good access to key transport routes for service vehicles as well as being close to public transport.
Achieving excellent pedestrian access to key retail locations, hotels and public spaces will be an important part of the
design process.
•Conferences were pumping around $100m a year into the Canterbury economy before the earthquakes.
•Christchurch & Canterbury Convention Bureau (CCCB) is a business unit of the regional tourism organisation, Christchurch & Canterbury Tourism (CCT). It is charged with promoting the city and region as a conference and incentive destination.
For more information about CCCB’s services go to: www.christchurchconventions.com
ENDS