By James Wilkinson at Meetings 2014 in Auckland

The chair of New Zealand’s Convention Bureaux, Anna Hayward, says the proposed new convention centres across the nation will be a huge windfall for the country’s meetings industry.

Speaking exclusively to Spice on video at the Meetings 2014 trade show in Auckland last week (Jun 19), Hayward said the planned centres in Auckland, Christchurch, Queenstown and Wellington would put New Zealand firmly on map for large conventions from Australia, Asia and the USA

“New Zealand is finally coming of age,” she said. “We have commitment from key stakeholders, from Government, from local councils and the industry is really looking forward to the coming years.”

In the exclusive video, Hayward, who is also the Manager of the Auckland Convention Bureau, outlines all of the new centres, what the expectations are for New Zealand and much more.

Meetings 2014 played host to 620 PCOs and 185 New Zealand exhibitors who got together for over 6,000 scheduled meetings.

To view the video, click on the YouTube link at the top of the page.

Spice travelled to Auckland with Air New Zealand. In Business Class, Air New Zealand offers world-class food and wine that highlights the best New Zealand has to offer, while also not compromising on comfort with flatbed seats which feature super-comfortable seat-toppers, large pillows and duvets. You won’t get bored, with hundreds of hours of entertainment available on demand. Visit www.airnz.com.au