This year’s MEETINGS was held in Wellington for the first time in the show’s 27-year history and was the largest ever, welcoming over 1,000 business events professionals, 224 exhibitor stands, and more than 400 buyers from around New Zealand, Australia and beyond.

An Absolutely Fabulous finale

After a busy week of more than 6,000 meetings, networking functions and knowledge sessions, MEETINGS NZ 2023 closed out with a grand finale in true Wellington style.

Held at TSB Arena’s Shed 6 venue on Thursday, 22 June, the celebration welcomed 675 guests who rocked up to theme of “Absolutely Fabulous” and were treated to an immersive experience of great local food, beverage and entertainment, thanks to the creative team at NW Group.

“As Wellington is renowned for offering something for everyone – so was this evening,” MEETINGS event manager, Chris Peak said.

“With first rate entertainment and a few surprises thrown in for good measure, MEETINGS 2023 had the ultimate send-off.”

Supported by Business Events Wellington and Venues Wellington, Business Events Industry Aotearoa (BEIA) partnered with David Greer Music and PME Entertainment Agents for an exciting line-up of local talent including Taikoza, a Taiko drumming performance group, HIPNOTICS, one of New Zealand’s most popular dance bands and DJ Re:Pete. The event was emceed by New Zealand’s comedy pop-music duo from Johnson & Laird, Two Hearts (Laura Daniel and Joseph Moore). Flock Events supported with furniture and theming, while plants for the event were supplied by Greater Wellington Regional Council. Red Pebble Events, The Food Lab, Double Vision Brewery, and Southward Distilling were all involved in creating innovative and enticing tastes throughout the evening.

Wellington celebrates triumph

Business Events Wellington joined forces with industry partners from across the city and region to provide attendees with an authentic experience of the capital city’s unique and diverse range of venues, attractions, and suppliers, and showcase the city’s potential as a top-notch destination for hosting conferences and events.

According to Business Events Wellington manager, Irette Ferreira, this year’s show marked a significant milestone for Wellington, as it hosted buyers, media and industry colleagues to explore all that the city has to offer.

“We have had an incredible week. Every hotel, venue, supplier and experience in the city has come together to make MEETINGS 2023 a success. This week shows just how tight-knit Wellington’s industry is and what a client can expect when hosting a conference or event in the capital,” Ferreira said.

The following two days of exhibiting took place at the newly opened Tākina Wellington Convention and Exhibition Centre, where the Wellington regional stand saw a record 20 stand partners participating and a full line-up of engaging demonstrations from local experts (including House of Dumplings, Greytown Honey, Southward Distillery, Wellington Chocolate Factory, Olivo and Moy Hall), and “Wellington General Store” featuring locally sourced products, alongside live art demonstrations from Wētā Workshop.