Business Events Council of Australia (BECA) has joined forces with Conventions and Incentives New Zealand (CINZ) to promote and advocate for mutual interests.
The move comes as New Zealand this week declared itself entirely free of COVID-19 and that business events could return to normal, albeit with domestic guests only, with all other restrictions lifted on the number of delegates per room and social distancing requirements.
Both organisations will continue to act in the best interests of their respective markets as it relates to competing on bids to host events, however the two will collaborate on joint issues such as promoting both countries as safe, trusted and welcoming for events of all sizes.
BECA Chair, Dr Vanessa Findlay, said the opportunity to work together would provide both organisations with greater lobbying power and improve representation efforts.
“Business events are such significant economic drivers and a fast way of encouraging trade and investment,” she said.
“A collaboration between CINZ and BECA will facilitate maximum benefit for both our countries,” she says. “It is an important lever for business recovery that attendees from both countries can travel across the Tasman.”
Findlay’s views were shared by CINZ Chief Executive, Lisa Hopkins, who added there was significant benefit in leveraging government advocacy as a joint effort.
“The Australian Government publicly acknowledged the difference between controlled gatherings (e.g. business events) and mass gatherings when they released their three-step COVIDSafe Roadmap, whereas the New Zealand Government enabled events of up to 100 to go ahead five weeks ago,” said Hopkins.
“We would have liked to have seen our Government follow their Australian counterparts and I am sure, vice versa.”