Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre officially welcomed its first conference earlier this week, kick starting a full roster of more than 100 events scheduled for the remainder of the year.

Appropriately given the Centre’s status as a major piece of public infrastructure, the inaugural conference was the New Zealand Infrastructure Commission, Te Waihanga Looking Ahead Symposium, during which Te Waihanga launched its Infrastructure Strategy 2022-2052.

Of the events planned at Te Pae Christchurch for the remainder of 2022, more than 60 are conferences, including eight international events. Combined, they will bring more than 67,000 people into the central city, and generate an estimated $37.2 million in direct economic value.

“It’s wonderful to see the Centre busy and operating as it is meant to be – filled with people connecting face-to-face, sharing knowledge and ideas and engaging in conversations that will have a real impact on our collective future,” Te Pae Christchurch General Manager Ross Steele said.

“I could not think of a better way to open our convention account than with the launch of a strategy that will help build a thriving Aotearoa.”

Te Waihanga event manager Chetana Dahya said it was really special to be the very first conference held in Te Pae.

“Te Pae has worked really well for us and our delegates, with plenty of space and great facilities. It’s also meant we’ve had a chance to explore the central city,” Dahya said.

The Conference Company worked with Te Waihanga and the Te Pae Christchurch team to deliver the event.

“From a planning process, the experience was seamless, you would not have known it was the first event,” The Catering Company project manager Chris Peak said.

Of the events planned at Te Pae Christchurch for the remainder of 2022, more than 60 are conferences, including eight international events. Combined, they will bring more than 67,000 people into the central city, and generate an estimated $37.2 million in direct economic value.

Looking beyond the end of 2022, Steele said the Centre had a solid pipeline of business moving forward.

“In total, through to October 2024, we have 146 events scheduled, which will bring close to 150,000 people into our city and generate more than $74m in direct economic value. This includes 88 conferences, 23 of which are international.”