New Zealand has secured a major earth science congress, to be held in its capital city Wellington in 2026.

The 22nd International Sedimentological Congress (ISC) will be held at Tākina, Wellington Convention and Exhibition Centre and is expected to attract up to 1,000 participants and deliver an estimated $3.4m to the economy.

The ISC is one of the largest international conferences dedicated to the study of sedimentary rocks and will be hosted by Geoscience Society of New Zealand’s Sedimentology Special Interest Group (SSIG).

Tourism New Zealand has worked with experts across the country and the business events industry to support the bid and win the international conference. The win is testament to both New Zealand’s strengths in earth science and its ability to provide first-hand experiences in the field.

“Conferences like this showcase our expertise to the world and help grow our knowledge at home. They also deliver significant economic gains that benefit the New Zealand economy,” Tourism New Zealand general manager domestic and business events Bjoern Spreitzer said.

Wellington’s central location makes all the delegate site visits easy and accessible, and plans are also underway to ensure the conference has wider outreach to New Zealanders through public lectures and in-school learning experiences.

As the host city, Wellington will provide both a core of knowledge in earth science via Victoria University and geological affiliated research institutes GNS Science and NIWA, and a brand-new conference venue.

“While the congress doesn’t happen until 2026, it’s great to see that Tākina is already front of mind for international organisations,” WellingtonNZ general manager David Perks said.

“It was specifically designed to host international conferences of this size.”