Last week, SKYCITY Auckland won the proposal to build a 3,500-seat national convention centre opposite the Auckland Casino and the Tourism Industry Association New Zealand (TIA) welcomes the development.

“A national convention centre able to host major international conferences is a key component of a successful visitor economy,” says TIA Chief Executive Tim Cossar. New Zealand already offers a great level of professionalism in incentive and conference organisation, but to date doesn’t have a national convention centre.

“Development of a world-class convention centre will enable the industry to target a whole new market that can’t be accommodated by existing conference facilities,” says Cossar. “This […] will help us boost shoulder and low season travel.”

Conference delegates are considered high-spending visitors and so the new convention centre will boost the New Zealand economy. The proposed national convention centre will be built between Auckland’s Hobson and Nelson Streets and SKYCITY has proposed to link the new convention centre with Auckland Casino via an airbridge. SKYCITY has also suggested converting the street below into an open space with cafés, restaurants and retail outlets opening onto the street.

“[The convention centre] will raise our profile in the valuable business conference market,” says Cossar. Conventions and incentives travel can also generate return business as delegates come back to New Zealand for family holidays.