Returning to Rotorua next year, TRENZ will be held from May 10-13, 2016 and will embed and extend the region’s profile with hundreds of international buyers, maximising the local investment in the event, says Chris Roberts, chief executive of the Tourism Industry Association New Zealand (TIA) which manages TRENZ.
TRENZ is the NZ$ 24 billion New Zealand tourism industry’s premium international trade event, bringing together hundreds of international tourism and travel buyers to negotiate new business deals with several hundred leading New Zealand tourism operators.
Roberts said, “We’ve had a fantastic week in Rotorua. Both the international travel buyers and the New Zealand exhibitors have loved the TRENZ venue, and the opportunity to experience first-hand the central North Island region. We know many international buyers attend TRENZ on alternate years so coming back to Rotorua next year means we can expose the region to many more of these influential industry players, while reinforcing and increasing the knowledge of returning buyers.”
Roberts thanked the organisers of the Rotorua Marathon, who have agreed to move the marathon one week in order to make room for TRENZ 2016.
“This means we can hold TRENZ immediately prior to its Australian equivalent, ATE. Many of our buyers, particularly those from our most distant markets in Europe, North America and northern Asia, prefer to attend both tradeshows in one trip, rather than make two long-haul journeys,” he says. “This will help us attract the most influential and important buyers.”
TRENZ 2016 will be hosted by Destination Rotorua and general manager Oscar Nathan says the region is delighted to be hosting TRENZ again. “We expect to see the benefits for several years to come, as buyers discover how much the Rotorua region has to offer and encourage their clients to include it in their itineraries,” he says. “In the short term, TRENZ brings huge economic benefits to Rotorua, injecting around $2 million into the local economy, including hotel accommodation, transport, meals, functions and the hundreds of thousands of dollars spent staging the event. This is a great boost to our operators during the quieter shoulder season.”