How are YOU “eventing the future”?
How are YOU Eventing the Future? In New Zealand every summer hundreds of event professionals gather to discuss this topic, and this year I was fortunate to join them in Christchurch, a city alive with possibilities as it recovers from an earthquake that changed many lives nearly a decade ago. In a country rich with breathtaking natural beauty, a strong bicultural foundation and fresh perspectives from people working across the country using events to grow their economy, eventing the future is exactly what they are doing.
With new convention centres, stunning indoor and outdoor locations and a “we can” attitude, events happen in every community, for a variety of reasons from celebrations geared towards families to world-class events like the World Busker’s Festival in Christchurch, Napier’s Art Deco Festival and America’s Cup returning (to just hit the tip of the iceberg!), they are focused on creating experiences that bring people together. Races that test endurance on foot, bike and hill take place regularly in a country obsessed with the outdoors and healthy living. Events that embrace their strong agricultural and viticulture are frequent, and delicious. The more I spoke with passionate event professionals, the more I wanted to return as quickly as possible and enjoy all they are planning – including some fantastic para-sport training facilities, new festivals and those people!
I was also deeply impressed with the sense of community they bring in helping each other, connecting with others in their region to consider how they can grow together continuing to build economic strength using events as a touchpoint. While I had seen imagery of mind-boggling nature, experiencing it myself took my breath away on more than one occasion, as sweeping vistas from the hills of Hobbiton to the endless beaches, surprising geysers and mountains ensured every drive was a delight. In short, I fell in love with a country that is on many bucket lists from a personal point of view. From the perspective of bringing an incentive group to this very special place, I can tell you that it is more than worth the longer, and super comfortable, flight to get here because it will exceed their expectations and create memories unlike any other place. As a believer in the idea of the inherent intellectual capital of a destination laying a foundation for successful international conferences, New Zealand also offers more than enough opportunities across a range of sectors and with dozens of universities to partner with to shine. Yes, the event industry here is different than in other places, but it is equally robust, and you will also get to work with some of the nicest people in the world. I am so pleased I was able to participate this year and look forward to returning again to this magical place, with a few hundred friends!
